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D dept. : Leonard Williams ~ ~ ~


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 -- Leonard Williams has an $18 million contract, fully guaranteed, but money can't buy status in the NFL. He's a rookie, and rookies have to start at the low end of the food chain.So on Tuesday, the first day of the New York Jets' minicamp, Williams was required to stand up in front of the defensive meeting room to introduce himself to veteran Muhammad Wilkerson, who attended his first offseason team activity. The other rookies had to do it too.Williams also was instructed by certain veterans to carry their helmets to and from the practice field, a traditional rite of passage.Leonard Williams isn't used to being at the bottom of the pecking order, but says he's rolling with it. "It's definitely different," Williams said. "When I was at USC, I was The Guy in the room. Now I'm starting from the bottom. I'm not used to it, but I'm definitely rolling with it. I know my role."

 

From all indications, Williams -- the sixth pick in the draft -- is fitting in nicely on and off the field. It's difficult to evaluate linemen without pads, but he has impressed his teammates with his raw athleticism. The coaches like his versatility.In minicamp, Williams played left end in the 3-4 base defense, nose tackle in their "Okie" package (a 3-4 pressure scheme) and some 3-technique in four-man fronts. He was part of the defensive-line rotation, getting some work with the first team.The Jets have a lot of talent on the defensive line, so they don't have to rush Williams into a prominent role. They can bring him along at a reasonable pace, feeding him as much as he can devour. It'll be fascinating to monitor his development and see how he fits into the rotation."It's great being in the meeting room with guys I grew up watching," said Williams, who turns 21 on June 20. "Even a young guy like Sheldon Richardson, he's been able to give me a lot of tips."

 

Richardson has offered advice on how to read the feet of offensive linemen, which can help a defender determine before the snap whether it will be a pass or run."Leonard's a good guy. Cool. Pretty laid back," Richardson said. "He's still a rookie. Has a lot to learn, but he's going to be great. He's going to be good, he's going to be good. His finesse game is up there. Can't wait to see him in pads and how he grows up. We have to throw him into the fire. That's how it goes. In pads, guys can hold you, do more dirty stuff to you. Can't wait to see him in that situation."

 

Left tackle D'Brickashaw Ferguson, who faced Williams a few times in minicamp, said, "He's definitely a very talented, athletic player. You can tell by his body movement, how he adjusts to blocks. I'm still learning about him and building the book on who he is, but I do think he's a talented player. I can see why he was sought after so highly."Williams has work to do before training camp. His reporting weight is 312 pounds, which means he has to drop eight pounds in six weeks. He played at USC in the 305 to 310 range. His plan is to return to USC to continue training.

 

"I miss the California weather," he said.

 

> http://espn.go.com/blog/new-york-jets/post/_/id/51882/jets-no-1-pick-leonard-williams-no-longer-big-man-on-campus

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 — Leonard Williams hauled a few practice trash bins from the field to the sideline, one of the dirty jobs of an NFL rookie.

 

The New York Jets defensive lineman has gotten pretty good at carrying veterans' helmets to the locker room, too.He has also been tasked at times with getting up in front of the meeting room to try to make the rest of the players — a tough crowd, for sure — laugh at some jokes."I'm definitely rolling with it," a smiling Williams said after completing his first pro minicamp Thursday."I know my role."The Jets certainly have a few roles in mind for the No. 6 overall pick from Southern California. Williams was considered by some to be the best overall player in the draft, and New York plans to make use of his versatility and athleticism.

 

Williams worked all over the line during the three days of minicamp, from left end in the Jets' 3-4 base defense to nose tackle in the sub package to defensive tackle in a four-man front. Coach Todd Bowles thought Williams "held his own" against the first-team offensive linemen."The big thing is going to come in pads, when you can get hands on people and shoulder pads, and you can really show your strength," Bowles said. "From an assignment standpoint, he wasn't a fish out of water."

 

Well, not at first.

 

Williams is a physical presence at 6-foot-5 and 320 pounds, along with an impressive puffed-out mane that has earned him the nickname "Leo" — like a lion. But, he acknowledged that he had some jitters when he first got to the facility."Obviously, I have a lot of confidence in myself and my ability to play football," he said. "At the same time, going into anything new, I feel like that would make anyone nervous."No longer the big fish in college, Williams had to learn a new playbook, pick up a new defense and fit in with a whole new set of teammates and coaches. Just like all the other rookies and draft picks."I wouldn't call it tentativeness," he said. "It was more like being nervous, being anxious and stepping into a new system. I would definitely say it's all gone now. I'm a lot more comfortable with all the guys and all the coaches.

 

"I'm just ready to roll now."

 

That's good news for the Jets, who already boasted one of the league's top defensive lines before Williams got here with Muhammad Wilkerson, Sheldon Richardson and Damon Harrison making things miserable for opponents up front.While it might appear the Jets would be set as far as starters, Bowles likes to mix things up so Williams will likely see some significant playing time. Williams wasn't concerned that he was stepping into a situation where the other defensive linemen might look at him as someone who could potentially take their jobs."I'd actually rather go into a program that has guys that I can learn from who are veterans, rather than going into a program where I'm going to be that guy," he said. "I feel I can learn easier where I'm coming in as a rookie and I have guys in front of me that I can learn from."

 

Williams has huddled up with the veterans, such as Richardson giving him tips about how offensive linemen position their feet and how to beat them. He plans to go back to California and work out at USC and study his playbook throughout the break before training camp in late July.While there, he's aiming to get his weight down to about 312 pounds after playing in college between 305 and 310. He's also looking to get his first driver's license."I already know how to drive," said Williams, who turns 21 on June 20. "I just don't have a license. I'm going to do that now that I have a break."

 

Maybe he'll get a new jersey number at some point, too. He's currently wearing No. 62 — and odd number for a defensive lineman — after being No. 94 in college. That's Harrison's number, so it won't be that with the Jets."It's definitely been weird," he said, laughing. "We had to get fitted for pads yesterday and when they asked me for my number, they asked me if I was an O-lineman. But that's another part of knowing my role. I've just got to wait it out, keep working hard and eventually get a (different) number."

 

NOTES: The Jets released OT Sean Hooey. ... WR Brandon Marshall (stubbed toe), CB Darrin Walls (toe) and TE Zach Sudfeld (left knee) didn't participate in practice. Bowles said Sudfeld was having additional tests, so it appears it's "more than a minor injury." ... RB Stevan Ridley, coming back from torn anterior cruciate and medial collateral ligaments in his right knee, hopes to be ready for Week 1 of the season, but doesn't want to set himself up for "false hope" with a timetable.

 

> http://www.pro32.ap.org/article/rookie-leonard-williams-no-fish-out-water-jets

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Leonard Williams, the Jets' rookie defensive end, mentioned Thursday that Sheldon Richardson has offered him a few tips recently about reading offensive linemen before the snap.Williams would be wise to listen to Richardson, a tackle who was the NFL's Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2013 and has blossomed into one of the league's best defensive linemen.

 

So what does Richardson think of Williams, the No. 6 overall pick this year? In short, Richardson liked what he saw from Williams in no-pads, limited-contact practices this spring, but Richardson knows there's a lot more to being a great lineman than that."He's actually reading his keys pretty good," Richardson said. "His finesse right now is pretty good. He knows how to play with his hands already. He's got the potential."

 

How does Williams now compared to Richardson as a rookie two years ago ?

 

"He's there," Richardson said. "The little things that I knew, he's probably doing himself, as far as making plays in the backfield on run plays and stuff like that. He's getting more 'two' reps right now [against the second-string offensive line], but when he goes against the 'ones,' he's made a few plays here and there [against the starters]. I want to see that on a consistent basis."

 

There are some other things Richardson wants to see from Williams when the Jets put pads on during training camp. Richardson said "it's too early" to determine how good Williams might be, even though Richardson believes the Jets' defensive line has "high level" potential for 2015.

 

"Does he have a real mean streak?" Richardson said of Williams. "Does he play angry all the time or is it just a 'once in a blue moon' type deal? Is he just a constant finesse guy? I don't think he's just like that. I think he's an all-around defensive lineman. He makes plays in the run game and on passing plays, too. He knows how to bat balls down already, so he's looking good."

 

> http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2015/06/jets_sheldon_richardson_likes_leonard_williams_but.html

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more re our D -

 

~ ~   Calvin Pace, the New York Jets' resident curmudgeon, doesn't get excited about too many things. Two exceptions: He probably did a back flip upon hearing that training camp wouldn't be in Cortland, New York -- he hated the whole sleep-away thing -- and he sounded genuinely pumped about the team's revamped secondary."Obviously, it's a passing league and you have to have a lot of corners to compete," the veteran linebacker said. "We got 'em now. We've got no more excuses. We've got to go out and make it happen."

 

No more excuses.

 

Maybe the defensive players should adopt that as their 2015 slogan and get it printed on a T-shirt.After an offseason spending spree, the Jets have a secondary that, on paper, has pieces that fit together. Darrelle Revis and Antonio Cromartie are the No. 1 and No. 2 corners, respectively. Buster Skrine will man the slot. Calvin Pryor is back to his natural position, strong safety. Marcus Gilchrist is the free safety.

 

Think back to how it looked a year ago :

 

They had a No. 2 corner in the No. 1 slot (Dee Milliner), a nickelback into the No. 2 position (Dimitri Patterson), a career underachiever in the nickel (Kyle Wilson) and two strong safeties, Pryor and Dawan Landry.

 

We know how it turned out : Patterson went AWOL and Milliner blew out his Achilles', leaving a patchwork group for then coach Rex Ryan. By the end of the season, he was starting Darrin Walls and Marcus Williams at cornerback -- a career backup and an undrafted rookie, respectively. (As an aside, it's worth noting coach Todd Bowles singled out Walls and Williams last week as spring standouts. He praised their "very consistent" approach and "very good" instincts. It's interesting that he lauded two players deemed spare parts by Ryan & Co.). Somehow, they finished No. 6 in total defense, quite possibly the most deceiving ranking ever.

 

Anyway, back to Pace, who has seen a lot of good defense over his seven seasons with the Jets. The best was 2009, when the Revis-led unit finished No. 1 in most of the major statistical categories. Cromartie arrived in 2010, and they finished No. 3 in total defense. Pace longs for those days and he believes the return of Revis and Cromartie could make it happen."I just feel like this is the place they needed to be and the place they wanted to be," he said. "I'm not trying to speak for them, but when everyone was here, it was a beautiful thing. To some degree, everybody wants to get back to that."

 

> http://espn.go.com/blog/new-york-jets/post/_/id/51985/calvin-pace-with-revamped-secondary-no-excuses-for-jets-defense

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Wilkerson for Erik Weddle. Crazy or just crazy enough to work ? #Jetsmail

 

@RichCimini : I'd categorize that as crazy. So let me get this straight: You want to trade a 25-year-old defensive lineman, whose career still is ascending, for a 30-year-old safety? Don't get me wrong, Eric Weddle is a very good player, but no general manager in his right mind would make that trade. If the San Diego Chargers threw in a second-round pick, maybe I'd consider it. Look, I don't think the Jets will trade http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/13985/muhammad-wilkerson anytime soon -- nor should they. Let him play in 2015 and re-evaluate the situation next offseason. Then come to me with your trade offers; I might be more willing to listen.

 

rest of above article :

http://espn.go.com/blog/new-york-jets/post/_/id/52087/can-geno-smith-carry-jets-to-playoffs-with-alex-smith-type-season

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~ ~   Now that the Jets have wrapped up organized team activities and minicamp, they get a break until training camp begins in late July. So this seems like a good time to take stock of their roster.Just like we did last year before training camp, we will count down the Jets' most important players for 2015. But this time around, we have expanded our list from the top six to the top 10. We'll list one player each weekday for the next two weeks.

 

"Most important" is obviously a subjective thing. Among the considerations we took into account when compiling these rankings: the player's individual skills, the value of his position on the offense or defense (all positions aren't created equal), and how doomed the Jets would be if he sustained an injury that sidelined him for a long period of time.As we mentioned last year, "best" and "most important" are two entirely different things. A team's most important player isn't always its best player.

 

Do you agree with our rankings? Disagree? Wonder if we can even count backwards from 10? Leave your thoughts, throughout this two-week countdown, in the comments section down below.We began our countdown with wide receiver Eric Decker at No. 10, followed by inside linebacker David Harris at No. 9, cornerback Antonio Cromartie at No. 8, and wide receiver Brandon Marshall at No. 7.Let's keep it rolling with the Jets' No. 6 most important player for 2015.

 

Name: Muhammad Wilkerson

Position: Defensive end

Key stat: Wilkerson has 24½ sacks through his first four NFL seasons (61 games).

 

Strengths : He is freakishly athletic for a 6-foot-4, 315-pound man. He can overpower offensive tackles or use his quickness to get around them. He is almost always a mismatch when lined up against (generally) less-skilled interior offensive linemen. A turf toe injury cost him three games late last season, and though he returned for the season's final two games, he was not really the same player as he was in the first 10 contests, before he got hurt in the 11th. He finished with six sacks in 13 games (compared to 10½ in 2013, when he played all 16 games). But Pro Football Focus still rated him the NFL's third-best 3-4 defensive end in 2014 — up from No. 15 in 2013. Last year, he was sixth as a pass rusher and first against the run among 3-4 ends, tying in the latter category with teammate Sheldon Richardson. In 2013, Wilkerson rated ninth as a pass rusher at his position and 16th against the run. So he is improving as a run defender.

 

Weaknesses: Can Wilkerson blossom into a truly elite pass rusher? He is very good, but is he as consistently disruptive as Richardson? It's up for debate. Wilkerson's fifth season will be a big one for him. It's the final year of his rookie contract. He is going to make $6.969 million — far too little, considering his skills. If he can stay healthy and make strides as a pass rusher, Wilkerson might just show he deserves elite money in his second contract. To be fair, Wilkerson has long since proven to be one of the Jets' best defenders. But since they still have Richardson, and since they drafted defensive end Leonard Williams sixth overall, will that impact how much general manager Mike Maccagnan is willing to invest in Wilkerson?

 

Why he's so important: Today's NFL is a passing league, so pass rushers are critically important players. If you get a really good one, like Wilkerson, you want to hold onto him. But as we mentioned, the Jets are in an interesting position of having a surplus along the defensive line, provided Williams quickly grows into the type of player most analysts envision him becoming. Then again, to simply label Wilkerson a pass rusher is an incomplete idea. He was fantastic against the run last year, after all. Well-rounded, physically imposing, athletic defensive linemen like Wilkerson don't come around all the time.

 

> http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2015/06/muhammad_wilkerson_jets_most_important_player_no_6.html

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Now that the Jets have wrapped up organized team activities and minicamp, they get a break until training camp begins in late July. So this seems like a good time to take stock of their roster.Just like we did last year before training camp, we will count down the Jets' most important players for 2015. But this time around, we have expanded our list from the top six to the top 10. We'll list one player each weekday for the next two weeks.

 

"Most important" is obviously a subjective thing. Among the considerations we took into account when compiling these rankings: the player's individual skills, the value of his position on the offense or defense (all positions aren't created equal), and how doomed the Jets would be if he sustained an injury that sidelined him for a long period of time.As we mentioned last year, "best" and "most important" are two entirely different things. A team's most important player isn't always its best player.

 

Do you agree with our rankings? Disagree? Wonder if we can even count backwards from 10? Leave your thoughts, throughout this two-week countdown, in the comments section down below.

 

Next up is the Jets' No. 5 most important player for 2015.

 

Name: Sheldon Richardson

Position: Defensive end

Key stat: 39.9. That's the overall grade Pro Football Focus gave Richardson for his performance in 2014, which ranked second only to the Texans' J.J. Watt among 3-4 defensive ends.

 

Strengths : In his two NFL seasons, Richardson has shown himself to be the complete package as a defensive end. He's remarkably agile for a player who stands 6-foot-3, 294 pounds. He's got quick hands. He can play outside or inside. He's effective as a pass rusher (team-high eight sacks) and as a run stopper. And he doesn't come off the field; Richardson played 80 percent of the Jets' defensive snaps in 2014, per PFF.

 

Weaknesses : It's tough to find one, but PFF gave him a grade of minus-4.5 for penalties last season, which was worst among 3-4 D-ends. It feels like nitpicking to point that out, though, because NFLPenalties.com says Richardson only accounted for four infractions in 2014.

 

Why he's so important : The Jets' secondary might have been a hot mess a year ago, but the opposite was true of their defensive line, which again will be anchored by Richardson, Wilkerson, and Damon Harrison. But this ought to give you an idea how important Richardson is to the Jets: If the 2013 draft had a do-over, he likely would be the first pick overall. In just two seasons, he's had that much of an impact for the Jets. And because of the restrictions of the league's rookie-wage scale—which is comically unfair to the players—the Jets have Richardson under contract for three more seasons at an unthinkable bargain price. Worth watching will be how Richardson and the rest of the D-line fare now that they have a reliable secondary on the back end. Look for more coverage sacks, and more turnovers. The Jets ranked dead last in the league in takeaways last season.

 

> http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2015/06/sheldon_richardson_jets_most_important_player_no_5.html

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It was an eventful summer vacation for Leonard Williams. During the six-week break before training camp, the New York Jets' No. 1 pick turned 21 and obtained his driver's license.

 

He might be a few years behind on the driving thing -- he still doesn't own a car -- but fortunately for the Jets, he doesn't have the same relaxed attitude when it comes to his job. Williams wants to make an impact now, starting Thursday night with the preseason opener against the Detroit Lions."I want to make plays,"he said during a break at training camp."I want to show people and show my teammates they made a good choice with the first pick. I just want to be accountable to my team. Whenever the ball is run to my gap, just know I've got it."Williams, picked sixth overall out of USC, is expected to start the first game, replacing the demoted and soon-to-be-suspended Sheldon Richardson.

 

Williams has been taking first-team reps throughout camp, impressing with his strength and quickness in positional drills.Teammates say he's a tough guy to block when he knows where he's going -- i.e. a basic pass-rushing drill -- but that he slows down a bit when he's forced to read blocking schemes in team periods.There's nothing unusual about that. He's a rookie and there will be growing pains. That's why the preseason games are important for Williams. He needs as many reps as possible because when the regular season starts and Richardson begins a four-game suspension for violating the league's substance-abuse policy, it will be on Williams to uphold a high standard. The defensive line is a talented and prideful group, and it won't appreciate a weak link.Williams has high expectations for himself."I just want to be a playmaker," he said.

 

"That's the reason they decided to pick me even though they had a bunch of D-linemen here. They knew I was going to be able to come in and make plays and help the team win. That's what I want to prove to everybody."Williams is a pleasant person to be around. He has a personality and, according to teammates, he's not afraid to ask questions in meetings."Everything is on the upside for that young man," defensive coordinator Kacy Rodgers said. "He works hard, he’s trying to pick up the system, he’s taken to the older guys well. He’s been a joy to coach so far."Williams expects to have a blast at Ford Field, even if it's only a preseason game."It's not the real thing, but to me it's definitely the real thing," he said.

 

"That's how I'm going to take it. It'll be my first time in an NFL uniform, game action against another team. It'll be a great atmosphere. I'm going to have a lot of emotion."

 

> http://espn.go.com/blog/new-york-jets/post/_/id/52916/no-1-pick-leonard-williams-has-high-expectations-for-jets-opener

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The Jets will be without Pro Bowl defensive end Sheldon Richardson for at least the first four games of the regular season—and maybe more—after a violation of the league’s substance-abuse policy and a subsequent traffic-related arrest in his home state of Missouri. Fortunately, they seem to have a ready-made replacement in their highly rated rookie Leonard Williams.

 

A two-time All-American at Southern California, the 6-foot-5, 302-pound Williams was viewed by some experts to be the best player in the 2015 NFL Draft even though he fell to the Jets with the sixth overall pick.In his first chance to suit up for the Jets, in Thursday night’s preseason opener against Detroit, Williams got the start in place of Richardson but only played the first quarter and failed to record a tackle or sack. As a starter, he wasn’t about to see extended time in the year’s first exhibition and risk injury.

 

With that in mind, expectations that Williams will make an immediate impact should be tempered. On top of being a Top 10 pick, Williams has the pressure of being asked to fill the shoes (at least temporarily) of an All Pro who had eight sacks while anchoring one of the game’s best defensive fronts last season.In the more complex NFL game, top-drafted defensive ends have generally disappointed (or had bad luck), especially as rookies.

 

 

 

 

MO-AA058_WSA18_NS_20150814184429.jpgENLARGE

 

Jadeveon Clowney, last season’s top overall pick, missed 12 games for the Houston Texans with a knee injury. Aside from Clowney, six of the nine previous top-drafted ends failed to register five sacks in their rookie seasons .The top-drafted defensive ends, though mostly healthy, also combined for just five Pro Bowls, and four of those were by one player: Mario Williams, drafted by the Texans but now playing for the Buffalo Bills and their new head coach, Rex Ryan.

 

(For our sample, we considered players who played defensive end out of college. Dante Fowler Jr., the No. 3 overall pick this year taken by Jacksonville, played outside linebacker at Florida but was expected to play defensive end for the Jaguars before an ACL tear in minicamp sidelined him for the season.)

 

> http://www.wsj.com/articles/what-can-the-jets-expect-from-leonard-williams-this-season-1439594851?tesla=y

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Todd Bowles, the rookie head coach of the Jets, has revealed himself to be unflappable. No matter what happens — and unfathomable turmoil and adversity already have happened under his watch — he acts like he has been there before. Even though he hasn’t been there before.

 

Bowles is being tested in a way no other Jets rookie head coach has been tested, and that’s saying plenty. It’s as if Rex Ryan is sticking pins in a green-and-white voodoo doll. Bowles must think this is the El Niño of Murphy’s Laws. The good news is he appears tough enough to weather the inevitable Jets storms.He will need help, of course, and the first hint of that help arrived Friday night.The best news to come out of Jets 30, Falcons 22 was a barreling hurricane wearing No. 62, first-round draft choice Leonard Williams, a.k.a. Big Cat Williams.Williams sacked T.J. Yates for a safety and shared a sack of Sean Renfree soon after with Jason Babin. His teammates fed off his hair-raising energy and enthusiasm and joy. On the sidelines, the CBS cameras zeroed in on a 21-year-old kid smiling from here to USC.“It felt great, finally hitting the quarterback,” Williams said.

 

Who cares that it was an unimpeded sack ?

 

Williams provided real evidence that Bowles and Gang Green will have a fighting chance to withstand however many games they will be without the services of Sheldon Richardson.“He has that Richard Seymour prototype-body,” Willie Colon said. “He’s long, he’s athletic, he moves really well in the trenches. He doesn’t even know how good he can be. He’s just playing football. So when he really gets his burns, he’s gonna be scary.”This is no small development for a defense that will have to carry Ryan Fitzpatrick and company and win games 17-14, or 20-17, on days when the quarterback is able to manage the game without calamity.

 

Fitzpatrick, operating as Captain Checkdown, was mistake-free Friday. He connected four times with Brandon Marshall and eventually engineered a touchdown drive against the Falcons reserves.He was lucky he didn’t have to play against Leonard Williams.Williams played fast, maybe not as fast as Richardson behind the wheel, but fast enough in Beast Mode to terrorize anyone running or passing the football.“He’s starting to play with his hands a lot more,” Richardson said. “There’s a big difference from this week to last week, and the sky’s the limit for him.”

 

“I come off the line and use my face mask a lot,” Williams said. “They tell me all the time I got long arms and stuff like that, so just come off the lines and from the ground up just use my arms,” Williams said.Bowles thought Williams’ sack lit a fire under the defense. The penalty-ravaged Jets trailed 14-0 at the time.“Even some of the players and coaches came up to me and mentioned it as well, and they were saying like, ‘Thanks for the fire,’ and stuff like that,” Williams said.When Bowles’ calendar first turned to July, Richardson was a Pro Bowl defensive end, IK Enemkpali was an obscure second-year reserve linebacker and Geno Smith was the starting quarterback. And Muhammad Wilkerson didn’t have a new contract or a tweaked hamstring.

 

“In college I kind of got away with just being bigger than people, like faster than people,” Williams said, “but now everyone’s big and fast and strong and so you really got to play with technique.”

It was almost as if UCLA were on the other side.

 

> http://nypost.com/2015/08/22/leonard-williams-is-wrecking-qbs-and-giving-the-jets-real-hope/

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After a subpar preseason debut, Jets rookie defensive end Leonard Williams notched his first sack -- and his first safety -- Friday night against the Falcons.Naturally, under the bandwagon-happy microscope of preseason couch analysts and players alike, he's already drawing comparisons to the all-time greats."He's big, he's big-bodied," veteran offensive lineman Willie Colon said. "He's so young, he doesn't realize the potential he actually has. He has that Richard Seymour-type body, that prototype [body], and sky's the limit for the kid."

 

To Colon's credit, Williams and Seymour have very similar builds -- they both stand above 6-foot-5 and weigh just over 300 pounds on the defensive line. But if having a big body was the only metric needed to predict a Hall of Fame career, we could enshrine Williams by Wednesday.In reality, Williams did impress against the Falcons, but his momentum-changing safety was more a result of him taking advantage of a bad read by second-string, center-turned-left guard James Stone, and not necessarily terrorizing his way through a professional offensive line.And Williams knows that.

 

"I know preseason doesn't really count, and also it was like a wide-open," Williams said. "I think it was a missed assignment on their part. But it still felt great."The Jets start the season without their star lineman, Sheldon Richardson, who is suspended four games for violating the substance abuse policy, and are expecting Williams to slide into his role seamlessly.If Friday night is any indication of Williams' true potential, then the Jets should be above water come October. Whether the rookie out of USC can make an impact during a full 16-game slate and deserve comparisons to Hall of Famers remains to be seen.

 

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000514357/article/jets-leonard-williams-compared-to-richard-seymour

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-- If there was one bright spot in the New York Jets' second preseason game, it was rookie Leonard Williams.

The sixth overall pick in the draft notched his first sack on Friday night, resulting in a safety and the Jets’ first two points of their 30-22 win over the Atlanta Falcons.Williams wasn't done there. He later combined with Jason Babin on a second sack and finished with five tackles, including another tackle for loss and three quarterback hits. In other words, he stuffed the stat sheet.

Yes, both sacks came against the Falcons’ backups. But the performance was still encouraging.

"He had two big plays," Jets coach Todd Bowles said. "You saw the big plays, but I gotta look at the film to see how he did on every other play. But he did make two big plays and kind of turned on the light for everybody."The Jets quickly fell behind 14-0. But Williams flashed on the final play of the first quarter, tackling Atlanta running back Terron Ward for a 4-yard loss.Then early in the second quarter, with the Falcons facing a first-and-10 on their own 4-yard line, Williams was practically unblocked and took down T.J. Yates in the end zone."I know preseason doesn’t really count, and also it was like a wide-open sack. I think it was a missed assignment on their part," Williams said. "But it still felt great."

After the ensuing free kick, the Jets needed just four plays to travel 73 yards for a touchdown. Chris Ivory ran the ball in from 33 yards away, and Ryan Fitzpatrick connected with Brandon Marshall for a two-point conversion.The Jets were suddenly within 14-10, and Bowles credited Williams for providing the spark."I thought it woke the guys up a little bit," Bowles said. "He’s playing with a lot of energy, and I think after that guys started playing."The Jets are counting on Williams to be a big part of their defense this season, especially now that Sheldon Richardson is suspended for at least the team's first four games.

Williams has stepped immediately into a starting role at defensive end, and right guard Willie Colon had high praise for him after the game."He's big, he's big-bodied. He's so young, he doesn't realize the potential he actually has," Colon said. "He has that Richard Seymour-type body, that prototype [body], and sky’s the limit for the kid."Williams had 20 sacks and 35.5 tackles for loss in three seasons at USC, but he's learning how to play at the next level -- and appears to be a quick study."One thing that they've been trying to help me work on, I come off the line and use my facemask a lot," Williams said. "They tell me all the time, I've got long arms and stuff like that. So just come off the line, and from the ground up just use my arms."

Better yet, he sounds willing and eager to learn."The biggest adjustment for me coming to the NFL is technique," Williams said. "In college I kind of got away with just being bigger than people and faster than people. But now everyone’s big and fast and strong, so you really gotta play with technique."

 

http://espn.go.com/blog/new-york-jets/post/_/id/53339/leonard-williams-opens-his-sack-account-with-jets

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A quick observation of first-round pick Leonard Williams and how he has played through three weeks of training camp:

After a relatively quiet start, Williams busted out in a big way in the New York Jets' second preseason game. He made the biggest defensive play, sacking backup quarterback T.J. Yates in the end zone for a safety. Later, he split a sack with Jason Babin and recorded another tackle for loss, earning praise from his coach and teammates. The most effusive review came from Willie Colon, who said, "It's crazy, but he doesn't know how good he can be. He's just playing football. When he gets his bearings, he's going to be scary."

It should be noted that Williams' sacks came against the Falcons' backups, but let's not quibble with the level of competition. After all, we've seen many examples over the years of first-round picks who did nothing in the preseason, fueling criticism.Williams, the sixth overall pick, is on an accelerated program. With Sheldon Richardson facing a drug suspension for the first four games of the season, Williams will be an opening-day starter. He has practiced with the starters since Day 1, learning the nuances of the defense and opponents' blocking schemes. He said the NFL game is more cerebral than he imagined.

No doubt, Williams has the raw talent to succeed. He's 6-foot-5 and 302 pounds, but moves like a 260-pound man. His body type and movement skills are reminiscent of former New England Patriots great Richard Seymour, according to Colon. Williams has the agility and closing speed to circle inside on a stunt and get to the quarterback before he has time to set his feet, as he did against the Falcons on one play. He's strong enough to bull rush and quick enough to shoot a gap if he gets an edge on an offensive lineman.

Right now, his biggest challenge is learning to read blocking schemes, which is typical for a young defensive lineman. As a result, he's tentative at times. Once he figures it out, as Colon noted, Williams has a chance to be very good ... quickly.

> http://espn.go.com/blog/new-york-jets/post/_/id/53387/jets-de-leonard-williams-a-first-round-thumbs-up-so-far

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— The accolades for Leonard Williams, the Jets' first-round pick, are rolling in after Williams' outstanding performance in Friday night's preseason win against the Falcons.

Working with both the starters and (briefly) with the second team, Williams had multiple sacks, a safety, and three tackles for a loss."I thought he did a good job," head coach Todd Bowles said in his typically understated manner. "Very well."Defensive end Sheldon Richardson, on what he told Williams on the sideline during te game: "Good job. Wasn't nothing else to say. Keep going, keep eating, more to come, and don't let this get to your head."Nose tackle Damon Harrison, however, preferred to just needle Williams."He's the 'Big Cat,' man," Harrison said, riffing on the nickname Williams had earned at USC. "Don't tell him, bit I call him the 'Little Kitty.' It's just a little joke from me."The 6-foot-5, 302-pound Williams will likely start at defensive end to open the season while Richardson serves his four-game suspension for violating the league's drug policy.

Does Williams know Harrison calls him "The Little Kitty" ?

"Man, I'm not scared of nobody," Harrison said. "No, he don't like it. He's a rookie. What can he do ? "  Now that training camp is nearly over, Bowles is more circumspect when it comes to doling out praise for a rookie like Williams, but he hasn't always been so reluctant about it."Just the way he carries himself," Bowles said back in May, a few weeks after the Jets selected Williams with the No. 6 overall pick. "He doesn't carry himself like a young 20-year-old. He's got years beyond his age and the way he comes in and walks into it, treating it professionally."Harrison, too, called Williams a "freakish athlete" just last month. And this week, turning serious, Harrison more or less returned to that theme."The guy's a beast, man—he's an animal," Harrison said. "As you've seen in the last preseason game, he's very agile for a big guy, and he's starting to pick up on things a whole lot faster than we expected.

"He's been thrust into a starting role, and I think he's as advertised."

About that "Little Kitty" nickname, though ...

"He's going to have to learn to like it," Harrison joked, "because he's going to have another year before I stop calling him that."

> http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2015/08/jets_damon_harrison_has_a_funny_nickname_for_rooki.html#incart_river

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Rookies are often the talk of preseason, as teams and fans get the chance to see their first-year players take an NFL field for the first time.

Here is a look at how each of this year’s 32 first-round picks have fared so far :

~ ~ 6. New York Jets: Leonard Williams, DE (PFF Grade: +2.8)

Drafted as something of a luxury pick, given the Jets’ deep defensive line, Williams has found himself as a starter with the mess than has embroiled Sheldon Richardson. And after an anonymous debut, he was very good in his second game, albeit more for his run defense than his pass-rush. Despite the sacks, one of which was a safety, he was merely OK in that regard. The safety in particular was a protection breakdown that saw him entirely unblocked at the goal line. Regardless, he looks set for a fine rookie season.

rest of above aeticle :

>    https://www.profootballfocus.com/blog/2015/09/02/how-every-first-round-rookie-has-played-this-preseason/

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New York Jets rookie defensive end Leonard Williams has gotten nothing but rave reviews from the team thus far. He's played like a savvy veteran in the preseason, making play after play for the Jets.He's destined to be a start in the NFL, but he won't tell you that. He'll just go about his business with a quiet confidence. Head coach Todd Bowles realizes the young man's potential, via Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News:

In three preseason games, Williams recorded six tackles, 1.5 sacks, and a safety. Needless to say, his presence on the field has to be recognized by opposing offenses. A combination of Williams, Sheldon Richardson, and Muhammad Wilkerson will be disrupting offensive lines all season -- after Richardson returns from suspension."I definitely want to be one of the best at my position," Williams said. "I think everyone feels the same way or they wouldn't be here every day trying to work toward that. Hopefully one day I'll be remembered as one of the greatest to play D-line.

"There will always be a learning curve, but at the same time, I do expect to make an immediate impact on the team."Williams likely will have an immediate impact given Richardson's looming suspension. He'll step in at defensive end Week 1 and make an instant impact on the game. Jets fans should be excited about seeing this guy play for Gang Green for the next five years.

> http://www.foxnews.com/sports/2015/09/04/bowles-on-jets-rookie-de-leonard-williams-hell-take-your-head-off/

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From the wild shock of hair to the massive 6-5, 300-pound frame, it’s been nearly impossible to hide Leonard Williams.

He’s a mountain of a man with a mountain of potential. The Jets have tried to temper expectations for this behemoth for the better part of four months, but the worst-kept secret on One Jets Drive is out: This guy is going to be a star.“I definitely want to be one of the best at my position,” Williams told the Daily News. “I think everyone feels the same way or they wouldn’t be here every day trying to work toward that. Hopefully one day I’ll be remembered as one of the greatest to play D-line.”Williams gave Todd Bowles & Co. a scare last weekend by limping off in the preseason game against the Giants with a knee injury. The brain trust let out a sigh of relief after tests revealed a muscle strain behind the knee required only a week or so for recovery.

The rookie defensive lineman, who didn’t play in the preseason finale against the Eagles at MetLife Stadium Thursday night, is still expected to be a difference maker when the regular season opens Sept. 13.“He plays with a nasty streak,” Bowles told The News. “He has a quiet confidence. He’s not going to talk. He’s not going to boast. He’s just going to nod his head and say, ‘Okay.’ . . . and then he’s going to take your head off on the next play. That’s how he plays. I can appreciate that. I’m a little bit of the same way.”

Sheldon Richardson’s four-game suspension for violating the league’s substance abuse policy has thrust Williams into the spotlight. The organization obviously was bullish on Williams’ ability when it took him with the No. 6 pick. The early returns in camp and the preseason have been promising.Williams played only 13 snaps in the preseason opener before a breakout performance reminiscent of his dominant play at USC in the next game against the Falcons. He was a stat-sheet stuffer with five combined tackles, 1.5 sacks, three tackles for loss and three quarterback hits in just 16 snaps against Atlanta.Williams, who was considered the best overall prospect by many teams in the run-up to the draft, insists that the transition to the next level hasn’t been seamless despite his early flashes.“Tackles,” he said with a smile, “definitely make me feel more comfortable.”

Williams still has plenty to learn. Richardson has been among the defensive linemen providing a helping hand in meetings and practice. Nose tackle Damon Harrison has eased the rookie’s transition on and off the field too.“There will always be a learning curve,” Williams said, “But at the same time, I do expect to make an immediate impact on the team.”Williams hasn’t been swallowed up by the moment despite the enormous expectations on a team that has a playoff-caliber defense. He knows that he’ll have to play an integral part. He’s not intimidated or overwhelmed.“It’s not too big for him,” Bowles said. “He’s doing all the little things. He doesn’t think he’s more special than anybody else. He’s putting in the work. He takes on double-teams. He’s in his gap. He’s where he’s supposed to be. And he’s making plays. So there’s nothing to lead me to believe that he won’t be ready.”

Richardson’s suspension — it might be longer than four games, pending the fallout from his road-racing incident in July — might have opened the door for Williams, but the rookie isn’t concerned about getting maximum reps right away. He once played 94 snaps in a game in college.There is no ceiling, given his physical gifts. His goal, frankly, is boring: Improve each day. He doesn’t have a statistical destination to gauge progress.“I never have numerical goals,” Williams said. “My main goal right now is still earning the respect from my coaches and teammates and making sure that they know that they can rely on me when it comes to big-time plays.”He hasn’t lost sight of the big picture from the moment he arrived to his new home.“I expect great things in 2015 for myself and this team,” Williams said.

The Big Cat’s out of the bag. Hiding is no longer an option.

> http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/football/jets/mehta-leonard-williams-huge-impact-jets-article-1.2348368

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Rich Cimini ESPN Staff Writer 

Love this quote from Jets defensive line coach Pepper Johnson, who was asked if starting a rookie (Leonard Williams) is a "major concern." Pepper: "Of course, he's a rookie. He's a puppy, so you're gonna have major concerns. But the good thing is, he went to USC, so it's not like it'll be bright lights."

> http://espn.go.com/nfl/team/_/name/nyj/new-york-jets

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In his NFL regular season debut, Sunday against the Browns, Jets rookie defensive end Leonard Williams gets to face one of the league's best offensive linemen — Browns left tackle Joe Thomas

So much for Williams getting to ease into this whole NFL thing.

Thomas, a 30-year-old ninth-year pro, has made the Pro Bowl every season of his career. He is a five-time first-team All-Pro, including each of the past two seasons. Thomas surrendered just two sacks last season, and two in 2013, according to Pro Football Focus. "That's what this business is about," Jets defensive end Muhammad Wilkerson said of Williams facing Thomas in his debut. "You're going up against the best each and every week. I mean, he's a first-round pick, so why not prove it to all the world, why he was a first-round pick?" 

Williams, of course, fell into the Jets' lap at the No. 6 overall pick this year. Why won't Wilkerson face Thomas in this game? Wilkerson explained he usually lines up on the left side of the Jets' defensive line, across from the right tackle."I might not see him too much," Wilkerson said of Thomas. "I might see him a couple plays in nickel or something, but I won't be lining up on him [for the most part]. ... He's just a savvy veteran, and he has great technique." 

Jets coach Todd Bowles wouldn't tip his hand Wednesday about whether Wilkerson or Williams (who is playing in place of the suspended Sheldon Richardson) would line up across from Thomas."Depending on the game, they could switch [sides of the line during the game], or they could stay [on one side for the entire game]," Bowles said of his ends.Bowles said Thomas "rarely gets beat" and is "just one of those rare tackles. To find a left tackle like that is hard. We're just going to play our defense and whoever lines up over there, lines up over there. We're not trying to match or un-match [Thomas]. He's going to be a tough task for anybody." 

Wilkerson knows that. The last time the Jets faced the Browns, in 2013, Wilkerson said he lined up across from Thomas, who has started every game for the Browns at left tackle since they drafted him third overall in 2007 — 128 games in all.Wilkerson had one sack and four quarterback hurries that day. But according to PFF, Thomas in that game surrendered no sacks, one quarterback hit, and two hurries. 

Wilkerson plans to give Williams some tips about Thomas."We all talk about tips and [offensive linemen's] giveaways with the coaches and amongst ourselves," Wilkerson said. "If he stays with us [the other Jets defensive linemen], he's going to do fine. He comes in with a positive attitude, ready to learn. He's willing to learn. He showed flashes that he can play at this level in the preseason. So we know what to expect and he knows what to expect." 

Earlier this week, Jets defensive line coach Pepper Johnson said he had some understandable concerns about Williams entering Week 1, if only because of his inexperience. Wilkerson, for his part, sounded optimistic about Williams' debut."Nah, I don't have any concerns," Wilkerson said. "Any problems that he has, he always talks to myself or Snacks [nose tackle Damon Harrison] or somebody, if he's got a question. We're always talking to him." 

>   http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2015/09/leonard_williams_browns_jets_joe_thomas_wilkerson.html#incart_river

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