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FLORHAM PARK, NJ – After fierce speculation on the possibility of an exchange, the New York Jets retained third place in the NFL draft standings and used it Thursday night to select the defensive tackle. Quinnen Williams.
With quarterback Kyler Murray and defensive wing Nick Bosa, the Jets – 29th in defense last season – opted for Williams at the expense of linebacker Josh Allen and defensive tackle Ed Oliver. Williams becomes the most qualified defensive player in the history of the franchise.
Allen should have met a pressing need, but general manager Mike Maccagnan said Williams's value was too high to pass. Sounds familiar?
In 2015, the Jets felt the same way about the defensive wing Leonard Williams (unrelated) when it fell on them unexpectedly with the sixth choice. Williams and Williams are now teammates and play under new defensive coordinator Gregg Williams.
What you need to know from the first round:
• DraftCast: live selective analysis »
• The Kiper Top 300 »| McShay's Top 300 »
• Best prospects available »| Full order »
• More NFL draft coverage »
Since 2011, the Jets have chosen a defensive lineman five times in the first round. The others: Muhammad Wilkerson, Quinton Coples, Sheldon Richardson, Williams and Williams. Wilkerson, Coples and Richardson are no longer part of the team.
For Quinnen Williams, this year has been a success. The former star of Alabama started last season in relative darkness, having only played 151 defensive shots before 2018. He became one of the defensive players the most dominant of the country after replacing Daron Payne, a first round pick of the Washington Redskins. year.
An imposing blend of power and speed, Williams finished last season with 70 tackles, seven sacks and a team record of 18.5 lost tackles. He was unanimously elected All-America and was named winner of the Outland Trophy as the best domestic lineman in the country.
He consolidated his draft status in search of the NFL, where he ran the scorecard 40 yards in 4.83 seconds at 6-foot-3 and 303 pounds. In the absence of injury concerns and out-of-the-field problems, Williams was considered the safest prospect of the project.
Defensively, the Jets have declined in recent years, but they should be significantly improved with the addition of Williams and Pro Bowl linebackers. C.J. Mosley, who left the Baltimore Ravens as a free agent. They also Jamal Adams Pro Bowl Safety, the sixth overall choice in 2017.
They still have a need as an outside linebacker, which gave Allen (17 sacks last season for Kentucky) a logical option.
The question that arises now is how they will allocate playing time in their 3 to 4 bases. Williams joins a veteran group of Leonard Williams, Henry Anderson and Steve McLendon.
Anderson signed a contract back in March for $ 25.2 million over three years with a $ 17 million guarantee. Williams is making a $ 14.2 million guarantee in the final year of his contract and appears to be on-line for a long-term extension. With Quinnen Williams on board, they will have one of the highest paid defensive lines in the league.
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