NFL Draft: Leonard Williams full scouting report

Against the pass

Williams isn’t a speed rusher when he lines up on the edge, but he has a great burst off the line. He gets into blockers quickly and often shocks linemen with his quickness and the power he strikes them with. He has heavy hands that he uses well and often gains leverage using excellent hand-placement.

While he has several go-to pass rushing moves, Williams’ most effective technique is a bull-rush in which he gets on his blocker quickly and tosses him aside. He has made a ton of offensive linemen look silly trying to stop that bull-rush move. He also has an arm-over swim move that is a thing of beauty.

Given how quickly Williams gets out of his stance and into his rush, the fact that he’s not a speed guy really doesn’t matter. While he’s certainly versatile enough to play multiple positions, Williams will likely be a defensive end in a 3-4 or a tackle in a 4-3, which means he doesn’t need to have blazing speed.

Williams also doesn’t give up on plays, if his initial move doesn’t get the job done, he’ll keep working until he gets around his blocker or the whistle blows. His footwork is also good enough to step back and disrupt screen passes on occasion when he recognizes them. While he may not consistently put up double-digit sack numbers, Williams will be disruptive enough to cause sacks for his teammates.

Next: Against the run