Vandy coach: Richard Sherman comp for Patriots' second-round pick Joejuan Williams 'is spot on'

FOXBOROUGH — Terrence Brown knows what sort of weight a Richard Sherman comparison carries when you talk about a young cornerback.

The Vanderbilt cornerbacks coach played alongside Sherman as a collegian at Stanford. He remains friends with Sherman. And so when you ask about a possible comparison between Joejuan Williams and Sherman, he knows of what he speaks.

“I think that comparison is spot on,” Brown told BostonSportsJournal.com of the comparisons between Sherman and the 6-foot-4, 211-pound Williams, who was taken in the second round by the Patriots Friday night.


“He does have a lot of similarities to Richard. He has a lot in common with him,” Brown added. “I played with Richard at Stanford, and I definitely see some of Richard’s mannerisms and some of his style of play in Joejuan. It’s something we talked about all the time. We watched film on him, and talked about the way he played, the way he covered guys. People are right when they compare him to Richard. He uses his length and ability to get a wide receiver out of position, or just shut him down on one side.”

That’s a lot to put on the shoulders of any young cornerback. Asked if he was fully cognizant of the comparison — and the excitement that statement could cause among the New England fan base — Brown held firm. And when you watch them play, there are some surface similarities between the two. Williams is a big, rangy, physical corner with great length. Last year as a junior, he was voted second-team All-SEC by league coaches after recording 61 tackles, two for loss, four interceptions and 14 pass breakups in 13 starts.



Per Brown, Williams also shares Sherman’s level of confidence.

“He’s definitely a confident young man. I think he embodies that in every way possible. From the time I started to build a relationship with him, he’s shown himself to be the sort of young man who is capable of having a positive impact on society. And the way he carries himself, he’s quite confident. He knows what he’s capable of doing, and what he can bring to the table. I think he’s a great young man, full of joy and confidence and passion for the game.

“I know he knows he’s the best cornerback out there, at least in my mind. He’s shown an ability to be a dominant corner at the college level.”

One of the questions that arose Friday night was whether or not Williams’ size could allow him to make a move to safety. Brown said that Williams did not play any snaps at safety as a collegian — while the Patriots can do what they want, it sounds like Williams would have to start from square one when it comes to the safety position.

“He played only corner for us,” Brown said flatly. “There was no safety play for him here. We left him out there on an island against some really good receivers.

“I think Joejuan is a cover corner. That’s his strength, and that’s what New England is getting. I see the game changing — that’s why we’re starting to see bigger and bigger corners on the outside, and you want to have a long-limbed guy like that in the secondary. He does have some positional versatility in that he’s an all-around football player, and I think he’s up to the task, no matter what the Patriots might have in store for him.”

One of the things that’s important to note — while cornerback may not scream out as a position of need for New England, it’s worth noting Stephon Gilmore’s cap number in 2020 will be $18.7 million. It’s a whopping total for any player, even for a player like Gilmore who is coming off an All-Pro season. The addition of Williams means the Patriots may have brought themselves some long-term leverage at the cornerback position.

But regardless of what’s in store for Williams, Brown said the Patriots are not just getting a talented young cornerback, but a solid citizen.

“The Pats are getting the whole package — a really good football player, a player capable of adding real value to your team, and a player who will allow the Patriots to remain in the position they are at the top of the league,” Brown said. “He really is a fine young man who will continue to get more and more polished as time goes on.

“I’m really excited for him. He’s a special young man. The Patriots organization is getting a fine young man.”