Leonard Williams, DT - 6th overall pick

Leonard Williams, USC, #94

Height	Weight	Arm	Hand	10 Yd	40 Yd	Bench	Vertical	Broad	3-Cone	Shuttle	60 Yd Shuttle
6-5	302	34 5/8	10 5/8	1.72	4.97	DNP	29.5	106	7.59	4.53	DNP

Game Film Evaluated:

Fresno State (2014)

Nebraska (2014)

Pros: Versatile, lines up at 5-technique in USC 3-man front. Great use of hands. Easily disengages from blocks. Elite swim move. He uses excellent technique to make plays. Has a knack for reading the QB eyes and knocking passes down or even make a play on the ball. Gets good arm extension, consistently able to keep blockers away from his body. He can beat the tackle multiple ways, good ability to cross the face of the tackle and get inside leverage to finish to the QB. Showed good rip move vs Nebraska. Flashed a good bull rush during same game. Plays with adequate strength to hold his position. He is capable of shooting the gaps with deceptive quickness.

Cons: Not an elite burst off the snap. Has good strength to hold the POA…Not a power player, doesn’t blow plays up with leverage. He is not a 2 gap player. He locates the ball fairly well, struggles when asked to play 2-gap. Lacks elite burst and change of direction skills.

Summary: Leonard Williams is one of the best defensive line prospects in the entire draft and capable of being an impact rookie and complete player. He does come with flaws to his game though. I was disappointed in his lack of elite athleticism on tape and confirmed by his workouts at the combine. He is scheme limited in my opinion destined only to play in a 4-3 front. USC played him out of position in 2014 using a lot of 3-man fronts and some of his production fell from 2013 because of this. He does not have the power at this time to be a top 3-4 five technique in the mold of JJ Watt. He lacks the elite quickness to be a great 3-technique either but he makes up for it with a great use of hands and multiple pass rush moves. I project him to be a instant impact 3-technique in a scheme that favors pass rush over stout run defense. He may also play end but his lack of great burst and closing speed would be a concern however dropping 15 pounds may add some of that speed he showed in 2013. A top 10 prospect.