4. Quinnen Williams will be an All-Pro
Before you dismiss the idea of a rookie becoming an All-Pro as crazy, don’t forget to look back at last year’s team. Both Quenton Nelson and Darius Leonard earned the prestigious honor in their rookie seasons.
This year, Williams has a chance to continue that trend. Landing in the middle of the Jets defensive line is going to give him a chance to do everything he does best as a player. He’s really going to improve this team’s ability to stop the run, and it’s possible he’ll flash more pass rushing ability than he did in college at the professional level.
Defensive tackles don’t have to post huge stat totals to earn the nod at Pro Bowl. Instead, Williams’ candidacy is going to be based on how the entire defense functions against interior runs. At the very least, Williams is going to eat up a ton of space on the inside. At his best, he’ll clog up the middle and shoot into the opposing backfield to wreck opposing offenses.
Knocking guys like Aaron Donald and Fletcher Cox off the first team isn’t going to be easy, but don’t underestimate just how talented Williams is. This is certainly a bold prediction, but there’s a path towards immediate stardom for Williams if he has a big season in the Big Apple.