Leonard Williams Pass Rushes His Way to “All Under 25 Team”
Leonard Williams should not be on the All-Under-25 Team list just because he is 21 years old but for the sheer talent that he has. What is actually surprising about his 6 foot 5 inch frame and 302 pounds is how agile he is whenever he goes head to head against offensive linemen.
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Teddy Bridgewater, Le’Veon Bell head All-Under-25 Team | NFL.com Who represents the NFL’s next generation of stars? I’m not just talking the 2015 rookie studs — i.e., the Todd Gurleys of the world — but those guys with a few seasons of pro experience who are about to go wild. |
| Source: www.nfl.com/photoessays/0ap3000000640570/teddy-bridgewater-leveon-bell-head-allunder25-team | |
His hand movements are so fluid and quick that it allows him to easily swim move past tackles as he rushes towards the quarterback. This is his best attribute even though he doesn’t have elite DE speed like his teammate Muhammad Wilkerson. His techniques offset his tall stature as he is able to get leverage under his opponents.
As a rookie defensive end for the New York Jets, Williams came into his own by the 4th week of the 2016 regular season. As the NYJ were holding a lead against the Dolphins in London, QB Ryan Tannehill drove down the field to the Jets’ 10 yard line late in the 4th quarter. On 3rd down, Leonard beat the center in an instant and came bearing down on Tannehill which made him throw the ball quicker than he wanted to. Darrelle Revis jumped the route and intercepted the underthrown ball, sealing the win for the Jets. Even though Revis got the credit for the play, people overlooked how instrumental Williams was in rushing Ryan to make that poor decision.
This is just one example of the many times that Leonard Williams had an impact on the defense. Even though the stats show that he only had 3 sacks in 2015, there were countless times when he pressured the QB. Either leading to an incompletion, a turnover or a sack for his fellow Jets teammates.
There were times during the season when neither Wilkerson nor Sheldon Richardson were able to get through the offensive line and that’s when Williams came through in their hour of need. As Muhammad and Sheldon are being stood up, Leonard won his one on one matchup with his talent and pushed through.
It’s great that Williams made the All-Under-25 Team. But in reality there are so many more awards that he should win besides this one. I hope his stats begin to reflect his defensive dominance so that more people can take note.
