2015 NFL Draft: Ranking The 5 most surprising selections
By Robby Sabo
3. Leonard Williams, No. 6 Overall, New York Jets
When speaking of talent, it doesn’t get any better than USC’s Leonard Williams.
This is a guy who, some, call a once in a generation defensive lineman. He’s a guy who some have compared to Reggie White. He’s a guy that most had as the top player in the NFL Draft.
Jameis Winston, Marcus Mariota, Dante Fowler Jr. and Amari Cooper all went off the board with the first four picks. There’s nothing crazy about that.
Then the Washington Redskins decided to present the New York Jets with an interesting decision. Do they go with a positional need, or take the top player available?
What’s shocking here is not that Williams was selected with the No. 6 pick. What has this pick in the surprising category is the fact that the Jets brass accepted this gift with open arms.
Let’s face it. In the past, this organization would have completely screwed this one up.
They would have seen Williams fall to them, and convince themselves to stick with positional need. Afterwards, they would explain their rationale behind the smart, witty selection.
Now, with new general manager Mike Maccagnan and head coach Todd Bowles, they decided to not screw up. They decided Williams was too good to pass up.
It now signals that the Jets now have grownups running their organization.
Even with studs Sheldon Richardson, Mo Wilkerson and Damon Harrison on the defensive line, Maccagnan accepted the gift of Williams flawlessly.
The signaling of the Jets franchise being run at a high-level is what is so surprising.
Next: Number 2