Hard-to-throw-on Lee might be hard to pass on come draft day
INDIANAPOLIS — Statistical declines typically are not celebrated.
But that’s not a Blanket statement.
Texas A&M cornerback Will Lee III — aka “The Blanket” — experienced such a decline. His 2025 football stats dipped to eight passes broken up and zero interceptions from his 2024 totals of 10 PBUs and a pick.
Though seemingly counterintuitive, that decline may pique the interest of NFL teams here this week at the Combine.
Last season, A&M opponents appeared hesitant to pass on Lee. Consequently, NFL teams also will be hesitant to pass on him come draft day.
Speaking at the NFL Combine on Thursday, Lee confirmed opponents didn’t throw often to his side. That’s what he wanted. Even demanded.
“When teams throw at me, I kind of feel like it’s disrespectful,” he told a gaggle of reporters in a ballroom inside the Indianapolis Convention Center. “When they throw the ball my way, they might feel like it’s an easy catch or an easy target. I’m not going to let that happen.”
Lee strived to become a shutdown corner. His plan was to shut down his side of the field.
Though great for A&M’s defense, that could be viewed as counterproductive for Lee’s NFL prospects. There was less tape to analyze. Fewer big plays to be seen.
Lee doesn’t see it that way.
“(NFL) People see me play good technique,” he said. “They see me in the hip of the wide receiver, and he can’t get open. That’s all I need.”
He could potentially fill the need for a lot of NFL teams. Big, physical cornerbacks who can make plays are extremely valuable in the NFL.
Lee is big. He was listed at 6-foot-1 and 190 pounds. He’s physical. He posted 92 tackles in two seasons at A&M. And even with opponents often avoiding him, he still made more than a few big plays for the Aggies.
He deflected a pass that Bryce Anderson returned 45 yards for a touchdown in a 2024 victory over Florida.
He returned an interception 93 yards for a touchdown vs. Texas in ’24.
He broke up a third-and-goal pass at the goal line to force a field goal attempt in a 41-40 victory over Notre Dame in the third game season.
He posted highlight reel-worthy tackles vs. Mississippi State and Miami last season.
In fact, Lee feels his tackling sets him apart from many other cornerbacks.
“When it comes to tackling, it’s just like a ‘want to.’ You’ve got to want to do it,” he said. “It’s not too much you can teach.
“Yeah, you can teach coming off the hip on a crack block tighter. You can teach ‘near foot up’ when you tackle. But it’s really a ‘want to.’ You’ve got to want to tackle. I always wanted to be a tackler. I never wanted to be some soft guy that didn’t like to tackle or anything like that.”
Lee noticed his open-field tackle of Mississippi State’s Davon Booth for a 2-yard loss has frequently playing on monitors when he’s met with NFL teams like the New York Giants, Tennessee Titans, Dallas Cowboys, New Orleans Saints and others.
“It just shows the work I’ve been putting in is coming to light,” he said.
Lee has been encouraged by those meetings.
“It’s been amazing,” he said. “They were really picking my brain, testing to see what I know as a football player. I really love ball, so I love stuff like that.”
NFL teams should love what he can provide.
“I can bring a physical corner,” he said. “Somebody who’s consistent, wants to work at a high level. A guy that if he needs to be that number one guy off the rip, I can. I’ve done it at every level. I’ve been at the bottom, and I’ve been at the top, so I know everything it takes to get it done.”
A guy like that might be hard to pass on.