Will Lee III
Carolina PanthersOur College Grade
How good he was in college at what his position is supposed to do, out of 100. Scored against everyone else at his position, adjusted for the level he played at. This is not his NFL grade.
College Production
Kansas State · Big 12
| Season | Tkl | TFL | Sacks | Hur | PD | INT | Pos Rk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 42 | 2 | 0.0 | 0 | 6 | 2 | 42 |
| 2024 | 42 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 10 | 2 | 43 |
| 2025 | 50 | 2 | 1.0 | 0 | 7 | 126 |
The seasons in our college data. It does not always reach back to a player's first year.
Scouting Report
Texas A&M · 2026 draft class
Will Lee III made his mark at Texas A&M by leading the nation with 10 pass breakups in 2024, earning first-team all-conference recognition. At 6-1, 189 pounds, he possesses good length that allows him to disrupt passing lanes and contest catches with receivers at the catch point. Lee shows decent hip flexibility for his size, demonstrating adequate transition ability when changing directions in coverage. He's comfortable in press-man coverage where he can use his length to jam receivers and disrupt timing at the line of scrimmage. Lee displays ball awareness with solid hands, as demonstrated by those nation-leading 10 pass breakups. He's a sound tackler who wraps up well in space and doesn't miss many opportunities to bring down ball carriers. As a willing run defender, Lee engages blockers and makes tackles when needed, though it's not his strongest suit. He plays with confidence and doesn't back down from challenging matchups against quality receivers. However, Lee's subpar long speed will be exploited by NFL-caliber receivers who can threaten vertically. His zone coverage technique remains inconsistent, often losing spatial awareness and allowing receivers to find soft spots. The lean 190-pound frame may struggle handling the physicality of bigger NFL receivers who can muscle through his press coverage. Technical refinement is needed in route recognition and anticipation to compete with polished professional route runners. Limited experience against elite competition raises questions about immediate translation to the professional level. Lee projects as a Day 3 cornerback.
Strengths
- Good length at 6'3" allows him to disrupt passing lanes and contest catches with receivers at the catch point.
- Decent hip flexibility for his size
- showing adequate transition ability when changing directions in coverage.
- Comfortable in press-man coverage where he can use his length to jam receivers and disrupt timing at the line.
- Shows ball awareness with solid hands
- demonstrated by his 10 pass breakups leading the nation in 2024.
- Sound tackler who wraps up well in space and doesn't miss many opportunities to bring down ball carriers.
- Willing run defender who engages blockers and makes tackles when needed
- though not his strongest suit.
- Plays with confidence and doesn't back down from challenging matchups against quality receivers.
Concerns
- Subpar long speed will be exploited by NFL-caliber receivers
- Zone coverage technique remains inconsistent
- often losing spatial awareness and allowing receivers to find soft spots in coverage.
- Lean 190-pound frame may struggle to handle the physicality of bigger NFL receivers who can muscle through his press coverage.
- Technical refinement needed in route recognition and anticipation to compete with polished professional route runners who create separation.
- Limited experience against elite competition raises questions about his ability to immediately translate skills to the professional level.
Honors
All-Big 12; All-SEC; first-team all-conference