It’s not hard to mess up the No. 3 pick, but Mike Maccagnan got the best player on the board in Alabama defensive tackle Quinnen Williams. He’s an immediate upgrade over Steve McLendon in the middle of New York’s defensive line and should be a terror in the AFC East for years to come.
The pick earns an automatic ‘A’ for the pick, as Williams fills a need for the Jets and was the top player available at No. 3.
Not only is Williams a phenomenal interior lineman, but he’s also an ideal fit for the Gregg Williams’ defense. Speed and agility up front are paramount for the Jets’ new defensive coordinator. Quinnen Williams fits the bill as both a technically gifted and quick athlete in the middle of the defensive line.
The Jets need pass rushing help and luckily for them, Williams can do that too. Williams had 43 total quarterback pressures this past season at Alabama, including 24 combined sacks and quarterback hits and 48 defensive stops.
It’s hard to project NFL comparisons before he hits the field, but Williams’ play projects somewhere between Gerald McCoy and Marcell Dareus. Williams is great at the point of attack and knows how to get behind the line of scrimmage, just like McCoy.
Even better, perhaps, is Williams’ attitude towards the game. He has a tremendous love of football with a huge locker room presence. At Alabama, he reportedly held players-only meetings to watch game tape and brainstorm defensive schemes. Williams might be only 21 years old, but he’s already proven to have leadership skills you’d typically only see in veterans.
The Jets got a good one in Williams. It’ll be exciting to see how he blossoms under the tutelage of Gregg Williams in his rookie season.
