Leonard Williams DE USC #94
Wt: 300
Size/Athleticism: Impressive height and length. Above average overall strength. Athleticism is an asset as an interior lineman but below average for a 4-3 end.
Run Defense: Elite strength and nearly impossible to control in one-on-one blocking assignments. Shows great awareness and keeps his eyes on the backfield. Limited speed to make plays in pursuit. Solid tackling technique but lacks a dominant closing burst for an edge defender.
Pass-Rush: Lacks explosive athleticism to be a threat on the edge. Does a great job using his length to keep defenders from getting into his chest. Plays with great leverage. Bull rush is his weapon of choice for getting into the backfield. Late to react off the snap which further limits his ability on the edge.
Versatility: Primarily lined up in the five-tech position at USC. Some experience shifting around on the defensive line. Probably best suited as a five-tech lineman (most likely in 3-4) or a three-tech defensive tackle in the 4-3 scheme.
Intangibles: No known issues.
Durability: Suffered torn labrum (shoulder) which required surgery. Suffered high ankle sprain in 2014 preseason practices. 35 starts and only one missed game in college.
[/level-scouting-reports]
Overview: Williams is close to a perfect prospect. If he isn’t No. 1 on someone’s board, it’s due to positional value. He played the five-tech position, even in 4-3 sets, for USC but will be better suited as a 3-4 end or a 4-3 three-tech tackle in the pros. These types of players are difficult to project, and many top 10 picks have a poor track record in the pros for unexplained reasons (Tyson Jackson, Glenn Dorsey come to mind as examples). But in terms of his college production, there’s very little to criticize about Williams.
