Quinnen Williams DT (Alabama) Draft Profile

Impressions

Quinnen Williams is a big, athletic defensive tackle from Alabama, who is now getting rumors as a top pick in the draft. If the Cardinals don’t pick him at No. 1, then he’ll go in the top 3. He was a big reason behind Alabama’s dominant season last year.

Williams showed flashes of being a dominant force in the trenches. Which is what every team in the NFL is looking for after they saw the impact that Aaron Donald had last year for the Rams. The hype around Donald is perfect for Williams because he has been compared to him and he can be the next dominant defensive lineman.

Mel Kiper Jr. Mentioned this while giving his analysis to the ESPN show SportsCenter. Where he said “Williams is closer to Aaron Donald than Ed Oliver is.” If NFL GMs believe that too then Williams is ahead of the pack of defensive tackles.

Most defensive lineman prospects come out of college as either a pass rusher or a run stopper. However, Williams showed signs of both. He beat opposing on lineman no matter what protection they were in. He even would fight through double teams to get to the backfield. He didn’t do this by just over powering the offensive lineman, he beat them with great technique and explosiveness.

Strengths

Hand usage – Williams can get off almost any block, not just because of sheer strength, but because he can use his hands very efficiently.

Quickness – Williams explodes off the ball and can use his feet to get through the offensive line. This kind of athleticism is rare from an interior defensive lineman. He showcased this quickness on almost every snap against LSU this year.

Ability to change a game – Williams can completely change the game. He has the power to stop the run and he has the technique to rush the passer. He can force an offense to change the entire scheme for the game.

Weaknesses

Experience – He is only a redshirt sophomore and he didn’t make much of an impact before this year. While his tape from that one year is amazing, some NFL teams may not be fully convinced that he would be that dominate every year.

Ability to move around on the line – Some people want defensive lineman to be able to move out of the interior and we didn’t see Williams do that much at Alabama. I don’t think this will make an impact on his draft stock at all, but I guess you could call it a weakness.

Ratings

Football IQ 10/10 – He has shown an innate ability to read plays quickly and that’ll be huge at the next level. I’m also putting technique in this category, and he has incredible technique.

Athleticism 9/10 – He showed at the Combine just how athletic he truly is. Now the only question is can he be out on the field for every possession.

Explosiveness 10/10 – His first step is how he gets past most of the opposing lineman he faces. He can just explode at the snap and get around the lineman with ease.

Strength 8/10 – He looked very strong in college, however some scouts are unsure about his strength because of his size and they are concerned about him facing the bigger NFL guards.

Tackling 9/10– For being an interior lineman, he has great tackling. He can track the quarterback down in the back field or chase the running back down. Whenever he gets someone in his hands, chances are they aren’t going anywhere.

NFL Comparison

Aaron Donald– There hasn’t been a defensive lineman coming to the NFL that has shown this use of hands and technique since Aaron Donald. I know it might be a stretch to compare him to the most dominate defensive player in the NFL. But, WIlliams has shown the athleticism and skills to warrant that comparison.

Overall

I think Quinnen Williams is the best defensive prospect in this draft. He will go in the top three and the team that drafts him, will be expecting him to make an impact early. While he might not be the dominant force that Aaron Donald is right away, he has the tools to be that guy for someone someday.