Washington Redskins: Target Leonard Williams in draft

By Andrew Long | Apr 8, 2015

The Washington Redskins are in possession of the fifth overall pick in the 2015 NFL draft. The team is currently in the process of rebuilding their defensive unit and I wouldn’t be shocked if they continued to do so with their first-round pick. In some of my previous draft pieces, I’ve talked about the possibility of the Redskins selecting Dante Fowler Jr., Vic Beasley, Danny Shelton, Shane Ray, and Randy Gregory. While those players all show great potential, there’s one player that would be a dream get for Washington at number five.

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The player that I’m referring to is Leonard Williams. The 20-year-old defensive end played his college ball at USC, and is considered by many to be the best player in this year’s draft class. Williams is held in such high regard because he is equipped with a number of key attributes that scouts typically desire. Those attributes being size, strength, effort, and athleticism.

The 6-5, 300 pound defensive lineman boasts great size. His size is aided by his versatility, as he has the ability to line up pretty much anywhere along the defensive line. Williams spent much of the 2013 season playing defensive end; he spent the 2012 season as USC’s starting defensive tackle.

His size is aided by his versatility, yes, but it’s worth noting that he wouldn’t be nearly as versatile without the measurables that he possesses. His monstrous frame allows him to play the role of a prototypical 4-3 defensive tackle or a 3-4 defensive end. I’d personally like to see him play DE in a 3-4 scheme on early downs, and then see him kick inside on passing downs when the defense switches to a four-man front.

The reason I say this is because Williams is an outstanding run stopper. His long reach has a lot to do with this; with an arm length of 34 5/8″, and a pair of hands measuring 10 5/8″, Williams has the greatest reach and length out of the players that I previously mentioned.

Williams often uses his lengthy reach to his advantage against opposing offensive linemen. His boulder like hands, while enormous, are surprisingly quick and he utilizes them to swat away the hands of potential blockers. In doing so, Williams is able to get his hands on the opposing lineman and control the clash from there on out.

Once Williams has gained control of the situation at hand, he’s able to use his strength or agility to finish the job. If he opts to make use of his strength, opposing offensive lineman will have a hard time stopping him from pushing them backwards and collapsing the pocket.

What I really like about William’s game is his agility, though. It’s something that you’ll see him put to use when he’s operating as a defensive end. Williams is able to chase down opposing running backs on the edge; he’s able to do this even when he appears to be out of the play. Crashing inside and giving running backs a false angle is something that he is able to do because of his great length and agility.

In the play below, you’ll see him do exactly what I just described. He’s getting blocked, opts to go inside in an effort to force the running back outside, and then he uses his agility and length to stop the back for a minimal gain.

While I have highlighted some of the positives of Leonard’s game, he’s is by no means a finished product. He can do a lot for a team from day one, but he, like every other prospect, has aspects of his game that he needs to improve upon. The biggest flaw that Williams possesses, in my opinion, is his reaction time after the ball is snapped.

He’s often slow to rise after the snap, and that’s something that won’t fly at the next level. Williams makes up for his sluggish reaction time with great effort and athleticism, though. After diagnosing the play, Williams is quick to recover and get into the action.

It’s mostly a play recognition problem, and that’s something that can be fixed with veteran/coaching assistance and film study. If Williams slides to number five and the Redskins nab him, he’ll have plenty of veterans to learn from in Jason Hatcher, Stephen Paea and Terrance Knighton.

The Washington Redskins have drastically changed their defensive identity this off-season, and adding a talent like Leonard Williams would simply be the icing on the cake at this point.

A lot of things would have to go right, but if he somehow slides to five, general manager Scot McCloughan would likely sprint to the podium and announce the pick himself.

Next: Redskins draft target: Vic Beasley

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