Gang Green Nation
The star remains one of the best in the league.
ESPN recently polled a panel of executives, scouts, and coaches in the league to rank the top defensive tackles in the NFL. It is no big surprise, but Quinnen Williams made the list. He ranks fifth.
Williams has been one of the constants amid persistent Jets changes. He’s going on three straight Pro Bowls and has 23.5 sacks during that span, though 12 of them came in 2022.
“True three-down player — talented inside rusher who is fully capable against the run,” an NFL personnel staffer said.
Williams is solid yet unspectacular in most categories, including pass rush win rate (13.4%), incompletions credited (16) and quarterback hits (18).
One complaint from an AFC exec is that Williams “gets pushed around in the run game” at times, but that’s nitpicking an elite player. One AFC scout said Williams didn’t have much help around him inside, prompting defenses to key on him. He also battled through a hamstring issue.
“He’s a guy you have to dedicate a game plan to,” an NFL coordinator said. “One of the most complete interior guys in the game.”
I think one of the challenges that Williams has faced in recent years is the lack of a quality partner playing defensive tackle next to him. It seems like the Jets have believed that practically any tackle will look decent playing next to Williams. It was true enough when the likes of Sheldon Rankins, Quinton Jefferson, and Al Woods were lining up at the other slot on the interior. The 2024 defensive tackle group led by Javon Kinlaw showed the limits of this strategy.
Williams indeed is a focal point of other blocking schemes. Playing with him means a lot of one on one matchups. I have to think the total lack of talent around him contributed to what was a down 2024. Even a down year for Williams saw a number of excellent individual games. Like many other Jets, I look for a bounceback season in 2025.
Dexter Lawrence, Chris Jones, Jalen Carter, and Jeffery Simmons were the top four.
