Leonard Williams: USC DT Could See NFL Draft Day Slide

[dreadpirateroberts]

Leonard Williams: USC DT Could See NFL Draft Day Slide:
by Joe Wedra​

In every mock draft you’ll see leading up to the 2015 NFL Draft, USC DT Leonard Williams is taking one of the top spots. Many hold Williams’ stock extremely high — including myself. I had him going #4 to the Raiders in my first mock of the season, and think is talent once he hits the line of scrimmage is tremendous.

At the end of the day, he’s an athletic freak that is going to be taken in the first round. However, if you’re a fan of a team sitting a bit further back in the draft this year, don’t think you don’t have a chance at grabbing the Southern California standout.

A “draft day slide” is possible for more reasons than one.

Scouts will love him for everything he has to offer, but NFL teams may pinpoint his often worrisome first step. He’s clearly slower off the ball than most explosive defensive tackles, something that shows too often when you’re breaking down the tape.

Granted, his size and crazy strength help him still defeat most offensive linemen at the college level. At the end of the day, teams will have to decide if the problem is small enough to ignore. They know that giving an offensive lineman an extra step on any play can cause many problems — even for elite athletes like Williams.

The first step issue may be minor, but the “team need” issue could be the biggest reason for a potential slide.

Imagine this scenario…

1. TB – Mariota

2. TEN – Winston

3. JAX – Randy Gregory or OT need

4. OAK – Amari Cooper

5. WAS – Landon Collins or EDGE need

Suddenly, in a scenario that makes perfect sense, Williams slips out of the top-five with everything on the table as the New York Jets hit the clock at 6. It might not be a monumental slide, but what if “team need” trumps everything else?

NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah has Williams slipping to 5 with Washington. If it happened and Washington decided to go after another need, teams later in the top-10 might have a reason to move up a few spots for a scenario they never saw coming.

It would take a few surprises, but there’s no reason to believe teams like the Jets or Chicago Bears won’t have a chance to grab the steal of the 2015 NFL Draft.

http://nflmocks.com/2015/01/24/leonard-williams-usc-dt-see-nfl-draft-day-slide/

I would absolutely love if he fell to us.

Thoughts? Opinions?

 

[Unannounced Fart]

http://nflmocks.com/2015/01/24/leonard-williams-usc-dt-see-nfl-draft-day-slide/

I would absolutely love if he fell to us.

Thoughts? Opinions?

As a USC fan, I've seen plenty of his games. And I've also noticed that he's consistently the last lineman off the ball. But I'd love it if he slipped to the Bears.

 

[PolarBear]

If Leonard Williams falls to the Bears, Pace better run to the podium himself and draft him. Just go and watch his tape of his recent bowl game on draft breakdown.

Easily the best player in this draft.

 

[dreadpirateroberts]

If he is there at #5, I am trading up to get him. I don't care if I lose picks.

 

[WindyCity]

He is the perfect 5 technique and could play the Justin Smith role.

He is late off the ball because he has terrible snap anticipation. That can be taught, he is not slow.

 

[BearsFan51]

He's an ideal 5-technique, he'd be a freaking no-brainer at 7. He's probably the most complete player in this draft.

 

[WindyCity]

He's an ideal 5-technique, he'd be a freaking no-brainer at 7. He's probably the most complete player in this draft.

I cannot see anyway he gets past Tennessee, Oak, or Washington.

The Bears cannot trade up.

More than likely the Bears will have to wait till the 2nd and look at a guy like Armstead who has way less polish, but similar intriguing physical skills.

 

[Escobar's Army]

The only true top 5 talent this year, it would be a homer run pick IMO.

 

[BearsFan51]

I cannot see anyway he gets past Tennessee, Oak, or Washington.

The Bears cannot trade up.

More than likely the Bears will have to wait till the 2nd and look at a guy like Armstead who has way less polish, but similar intriguing physical skills.

Armstead should be a top-10 pick as well, but his problem I think is a bit of ego. He walked onto the field at Oregon and dominated from day one and I think being better than everyone else sort of slowed his progress. It came too easy for him.

 

[PolarBear]

Armstead has Calais Campbell type size and athleticism.

No where near that level of production though.

 

[fatbeard]

Hope springs eternal.

 

[GBlaze08]

Hope springs eternal.

Impressive use of poetic quotes, you magnificent fatbearded bastard.

 

[vabearsfan15]

In a draft so weak, teams and scouts would have to be stupid to let this guy drop all the way to #7.

 

[GBlaze08]

In a draft so weak, teams and scouts would have to be stupid to let this guy drop all the way to #7.

Don't be so sure of yourself. I haven't even seen him jump out of a pool yet.

 

[Bearly]

Happens almost every year. Unlikely but far from impossible.

 

[JoJoBoxer]

If Leonard Williams falls to the Bears, Pace better run to the podium himself and draft him. Just go and watch his tape of his recent bowl game on draft breakdown.

Easily the best player in this draft.

Since the GMs are usually in their facilities, he would be fired before he made his 1st pick because he would lose so many spots driving from Lake Forest to Chicago to personally run to the podium to try to draft Williams.

 

[JoJoBoxer]

Happens almost every year. Unlikely but far from impossible.

But when it happens, there are some major red flags. A fixable first step is not a red flag. Now a medical red flag could drop him to #7. Would you be willing to draft him then?

 

[Treehorn]

If Leonard Williams falls to the Bears, Pace better run to the podium himself and draft him. Just go and watch his tape of his recent bowl game on draft breakdown.

Easily the best player in this draft.

People were saying Nick Fairley was the best player entering the draft after Auburn won the national title at the same point and he fell. Initially I think draft gurus were mocking him as the #1 overall pick about the same time of year and he fell. Could easily happen with Williams.

 

[fatbeard]

Happens almost every year. Unlikely but far from impossible.

It's like expecting Khalil Mack to drop because he was a MAC player. This happens every year: The bowl games wrap up and suddenly everyone wakes up to the fact that there is no such thing as a perfect prospect and so begins the speculation about some minor flaw causing a near-perfect prospect to drop. The consensus self-corrects after everyone watches enough tape to remind themselves that, oh yeah, all the other prospects have warts too, and ones that are far greater than what Williams has.

 

[Zvbxrpl]

http://nflmocks.com/2015/01/24/leonard-williams-usc-dt-see-nfl-draft-day-slide/

I would absolutely love if he fell to us.

Thoughts? Opinions?

Landon Collins wont go in the top 7. After Mark Barron--teams cant afford to blow a top 10 pick on a flashy position like that.

If Williams falls, you take him. Period.