New York Jets: 3 Pro Bowl locks for the 2017 season

1. Leonard Williams

A former first-round pick (sixth overall) in the 2015 NFL Draft, Williams was one of the very few bright spots from New York’s dismal 2016 campaign. A two-time All-American at USC, the Bakersfield, CA native got his year off to a rousing start by collecting 2.5 sacks against Cincinnati in the season opener and never looked back.

Williams recorded seven sacks, two forced fumbles and 68 tackles and was named to his first Pro Bowl. It should be the first of many selections to the star-studded game for Williams and this upcoming season should be no exception.

While it’s expected that 2017 will be a difficult year for the Jets, Williams’ future indeed looks bright. He is the youngest member of the talented trio and there is no weakness in his game. He is excellent against the run and has a fine combination of power and burst off the line. His penetration through either the A-gap or B-gap is outstanding and his sack totals will increase as he begins to enter his prime NFL seasons.

Next: 2018 NFL Mock Draft: Pre-training camp

Williams should be a perennial Pro Bowl player for many years to come. If he remains healthy, he’ll go down as one of the premier defensive tackles in team history. He’ll be mentioned in the same breath as Joe Klecko, which is very high praise indeed. He’s that good.