2017 NFL Draft: Alabama Tim Williams Scouting Report

Alabama’s Tim Williams is one of the top edge-rushers in the 2017 NFL Draft class.

Tim Williams is an electrifying athlete who excels at generating pressure on the quarterback. He’s an absolute nightmare to keep out of the backfield. His success is thanks to his combination of elite quickness, suddenness and a non-stop motor.

Williams is a quick-twitch athlete who gets up to full speed in a hurry. This is how he’s able to “get home” so often when pursing the quarterback. He combines this elite first step with good snap awareness that allows him to get a quick jump.

Outside of his speed, Williams brings quick and violent hands to his pass-rushing repertoire. Blockers are rarely able to get into his frame which allows Williams to freely operate. He often makes the offensive linemen look silly and unbalanced.

Williams is not only a speed rusher as he also does a great job gaining inside leverage. He knows when to counter his speed with a strong punch and power move. Williams also has an effective

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spin move and inside counter. His suddenness is also a major factor in his success as he can change direction on a dime.

This deceptive power punch can also translate to defending the run. The key to Williams being able to hold up against the run will be keeping blockers off his frame.

Alabama mainly used Williams as a sub-package player who saw the majority of his action in passing situations. He doesn’t have much experience holding at the line of scrimmage or setting the edge against the run.

Williams will be asked to play a bigger role this year where we will get a better look at his run stuffing ability. However, he has the raw skills needed to quickly show he’s more than capable of holding up in the trenches.

Even if he’s an average run defender Williams should be a top-10 pick. There just aren’t many defenders with his pass rush ability.

Current draft Status: Top-10

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