http://espn.go.com/blog/new-york/je...jets-draft-dt-leonard-williams-in-first-round
FLORHAM PARK, N.J. -- A few quick thoughts on the New York Jets' first-round draft pick:
The pick: Leonard Williams, DT, USC
My take: Wow, the Jets have a scary defensive line. Obviously, they didn't need a defensive lineman -- it's their strongest unit -- but they couldn't pass on Williams, who unexpectedly tumbled to the sixth pick. He's regarded by many teams as the No. 1 prospect in the draft. New general manager Mike Maccagnan preaches the best-player-available credo, and he backed it up by grabbing Williams instead of reaching for a need. Remarkably, the Jets have used their last seven first-round picks on defensive players, including four linemen -- Muhammad Wilkerson, Quinton Coples, Sheldon Richardson and Williams.
Overcrowded line: The obvious question is, what happens to Wilkerson? He could become a trade chip. Several teams expressed interest in him before the draft, and that interest figures to intensify, given the Jets' surplus of defensive linemen. Wilkerson is entering the final year of his contract and is looking to become one of the highest-paid linemen in the league. He's unhappy with the pace of negotiations and is sitting out the voluntary workouts. It would be a shame to trade arguably one of their top two players, but you can't pay everybody in a salary-cap era. Maccagnan said, "We're not actively trying to shop Muhammad," but that's just semantics. Know this: They're listening. Something has to give.
Lucky Jets: Williams was rated among the top three players on their draft board, according to Maccagnan. He wouldn't reveal the other two, but it's believed linebacker Dante Fowler Jr. and wide receiver Amari Cooper were the others. Despite intense speculation, the Jets had no interest in quarterback Marcus Mariota. How often do the Jets, with their sad drafting history, experience this kind of good fortune? Almost never. Williams (6-foot-5, 302 pounds) is a Pro Bowl-caliber talent. He's still not a finished product, but he has tremendous size and physical skill. In 39 games at USC, he recorded 21 sacks and 36.5 tackles for loss. He had arthroscopic shoulder surgery after the 2013 season, which reportedly concerned some teams. Said one NFC scout: "I'm not saying he's Reggie White, but this kid comes to play. He's 295-plus and he can move. He can be a great one." Coach Todd Bowles said he's not changing his plans; he'll play a 3-4 scheme, which means Wilkerson, Richardson, Williams and nose tackle Damon Harrison will be in a rotation -- if they keep 'em all.
