The New Orleans Saints needed youth and depth at the cornerback position heading into the 2015 draft, a need they filled Friday night with the selection of Florida State corner P.J. Williams in the third round (78 overall).

Williams is no stranger to big games, helping the Seminoles win the 2013 National Championship as a sophomore at FSU, earning MVP of the national championship game against Auburn.

Williams, 21, was a first-team All-ACC selection last year as a junior before he declared for the NFL draft.

At 6'0, 196 pounds, Williams is a physical corner with a high motor. While he may not start in his rookie year (Keenan Lewis and Brandon Browner appear to be locks), he will certainly be competing for the nickle spot while also contributing on special teams.

Williams saw his draft stock drop after receiving a DUI last month. However, the charge was dropped last Monday after prosecutors deemed the evidence lacking.

"Like every team, there's a lot done with the interview process, and a lot of the research is done outside the player selling you. We had the visit. We spent time. A lot of the research is done on our part. I think that I like the fact that he's smart," said Saints head coach Sean Payton. "We had a long talk, even in the phone conversation during the selection, just about going forward here and what our expectation is. So I think he has a pretty good understanding what the expectation level is, and certainly how our league operates."

Williams was the fifth draft pick by the Saints over the course of the first three rounds. Beginning tomorrow, New Orleans has four picks remaining over rounds 5-7.

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