Connor Williams is the weakest link on the OL

[FuzzyLumpkins]

Fan narratives are fun.

CW was playing really well but fans are convinced he is too small and therefore must have sucked.

Fans love La'el now because he looks the part but he made more mistakes in 2019 than CW despite having more experience.

For some reason there is a big fan club for CB Jourdan Lewis. Some fans appear to love him because he has a cocky on-field demeanor. He might be good in the right situation but that is yet to be proven. He was not good last season.

He struggled quite a bit his first season and people are loathe to give up first impressions. It's all too human.

Williams is of average strength but has great feet. He played against quite a few very talented 3T and only gave up one sack. He combos and works the second level well; he just doesn't over power in single blocks like we've seen Martin, Fred, and Leary do over the years. In addition to his added strength in year 2, he cleaned up the mental and technical mistakes. He ate up blitzes and stunts.

Collins is not mentally consistent and he can be sluggish off the ball; he will lose with his hands when out of position and give up pressure. That being said, he is a tremendous athlete with his combination of size, strength and quickness. Collins mauls people. When he wins, he wins big.

 

[FuzzyLumpkins]

It is possible that CW wasn’t yet 100%, but I think the prevailing opinion was that he simply lost the job... the OL play markedly improved when CW went down and XSF got his chance. It does seem like CW has improved since that time, but he’s also not been exactly dominant either... remember that this is a guy playing between Fredbeard and Tyron for much of this time, and this could have made him look more improved than he was.

Prevailing opinion?

How about the verifiable fact that he started until he went on IR?

 

[TwentyOne]

I wonder about his hip just because his play dropped off after surgery. Plus he had work on his shoulder. It was just a scope, but his style of play is more upper body. He skipped the combine because of it. That's 2 years in a row hindered by injuries. I could be wrong, but a lot of what makes a lineman successful transitioning into the NFL is the strength and conditioning in the off season. He also had knee injuries.
Now that's all the bad, but I try to be fair. The kid is a bulldog when healthy and we all know some damn fine Wisconsin linemen. They do a good job with positioning, corralling defenders and getting hand control. He was projected to go early and slid to the 4th, which was also commonly suggested to happen. So we could have a steal. As long as he is healthy and can make the transition quickly.

Thank you a lot for the insight!

 

[G2]

Thank you a lot for the insight!

No problem brother. I gotta a love for the big fatties up front.

 

[Dak_Attack_09]

He struggled quite a bit his first season and people are loathe to give up first impressions. It's all too human.

Williams is of average strength but has great feet. He played against quite a few very talented 3T and only gave up one sack. He combos and works the second level well; he just doesn't over power in single blocks like we've seen Martin, Fred, and Leary do over the years. In addition to his added strength in year 2, he cleaned up the mental and technical mistakes. He ate up blitzes and stunts.

Collins is not mentally consistent and he can be sluggish off the ball; he will lose with his hands when out of position and give up pressure. That being said, he is a tremendous athlete with his combination of size, strength and quickness. Collins mauls people. When he wins, he wins big.

IAG upside is similar to Quenton Nelson, I’ll take that over a mentally & physically weak always injured OG who should be plying swing tackle.

Zeke & Pollard will lead the league in Rushing yards & TDs begins this OL.

Smith - IAG - Looney - Martin - Collins

 

[xwalker]

He struggled quite a bit his first season and people are loathe to give up first impressions. It's all too human.

Williams is of average strength but has great feet. He played against quite a few very talented 3T and only gave up one sack. He combos and works the second level well; he just doesn't over power in single blocks like we've seen Martin, Fred, and Leary do over the years. In addition to his added strength in year 2, he cleaned up the mental and technical mistakes. He ate up blitzes and stunts.

Collins is not mentally consistent and he can be sluggish off the ball; he will lose with his hands when out of position and give up pressure. That being said, he is a tremendous athlete with his combination of size, strength and quickness. Collins mauls people. When he wins, he wins big.

Well said.

 

[FuzzyLumpkins]

IAG upside is similar to Quenton Nelson, I’ll take that over a mentally & physically weak always injured OG who should be plying swing tackle.

Zeke & Pollard will lead the league in Rushing yards & TDs begins this OL.

Smith - IAG - Looney - Martin - Collins

IAG is a small school 2020 UDFA who went to school in Mexico. Quenton Nelson has been one of the if not the top interior OL prospect of the past 20 years. Comparing them right now is asinine. Nelson came into the league polished. Alarcon is going to compete to make it in one of the roster with Williams, McGovern, Looney, and Biadasz light years ahead of him.

I'm happy for your pet cat though.

 

[xwalker]

It is possible that CW wasn’t yet 100%, but I think the prevailing opinion was that he simply lost the job... the OL play markedly improved when CW went down and XSF got his chance. It does seem like CW has improved since that time, but he’s also not been exactly dominant either... remember that this is a guy playing between Fredbeard and Tyron for much of this time, and this could have made him look more improved than he was.

No Frederick in 2018.

Sluggish Frederick in 2019.

Start of 2018 was a problem for all the OL due to the short term OL coach that tried to change too much too soon.

CW's awareness/ability to pick up and pass ofd pass rushers on blitzes & stunts in 2019 was terrific.

His run blocking on the 2nd level was terrific. The difference in a good bad run play is often the difference in getting out to cut off a LB before the LB has moved out of reach.

In the modern pass-happy NFL with a preponderance of zone run blocking, precision blocking is more important that brute force only type blocking.

 

[xwalker]

I wonder about his hip just because his play dropped off after surgery. Plus he had work on his shoulder. It was just a scope, but his style of play is more upper body. He skipped the combine because of it. That's 2 years in a row hindered by injuries. I could be wrong, but a lot of what makes a lineman successful transitioning into the NFL is the strength and conditioning in the off season. He also had knee injuries.
Now that's all the bad, but I try to be fair. The kid is a bulldog when healthy and we all know some damn fine Wisconsin linemen. They do a good job with positioning, corralling defenders and getting hand control. He was projected to go early and slid to the 4th, which was also commonly suggested to happen. So we could have a steal. As long as he is healthy and can make the transition quickly.

Good post.

He'll likely get a redshirt type season to get healthy.

It'a preferable not to start a rookie mid-round OC anyway but the injuries make it even more desirable to limit him as a rookie.

In general most draft picks should be considered for what they'll contribute in year 2 and beyond, not what they'll do as rookies.

 

[CowboyRoy]

This guy needs to move from OG to swing tackle. I believe Issac Garcia has the size, strength & athleticism to play LG at high level.

I agree. The line will be better of he is the swing tackle and McGovern is better at guard.

If McGovern wins guard and Biadasz wins center then that is two great things for the line.

 

[G2]

Good post.

He'll likely get a redshirt type season to get healthy.

It'a preferable not to start a rookie mid-round OC anyway but the injuries make it even more desirable to limit him as a rookie.

In general most draft picks should be considered for what they'll contribute in year 2 and beyond, not what they'll do as rookies.

That would allow McCarthy to get a good look at him, see how he comes along. I'm optimistic we can fill the Center position. I just miss Freddy.

 

[CowboyRoy]

If it's close, they'll likely go with a veteran player over Biadasz to start the 2020 season.

McGovern and Biadasz could have intertwined fates. Coaches will want to avoid have 2 players side-by-side with zero NFL experience.

If McGovern wins the LG position that would decrease the chances for Biadasz to start the season at OC.

Vice-versa if Biadasz clearly wins the OC position then McGovern's chances of starting at LG for game 1 decrease.

This angle is definitely true. Thats why regardless, if they both win the job its because they both earned it and are the better player. Which is ultimately what would be best for the Cowboys overall.

 

[CowboyRoy]

The run blocking improved somewhat, but the pass blocking suffered significantly, if I remember correctly. Williams really looked solid before being injured last season. It's been shown via tape and all-22 that a lot of the issues in the middle of the line that were attributed to Williams, were really a result of Beards decreased athleticism. This is not to say it was all Beards fault, or that Williams was perfect, but many here blew his deficiencies out of proportion. He's the second best OL on the team at getting to the next level. He needs to work on his timing a little, and his punch, but he's definitely got the athleticism and work ethic to continue to improve.

Williams looked solid because he has Frederick next to him calling the shots.

 

[texbumthelife]

Williams looked solid because he has Frederick next to him calling the shots.

To quote xwalker:

"No Frederick in 2018.

Sluggish Frederick in 2019.

Start of 2018 was a problem for all the OL due to the short term OL coach that tried to change too much too soon.

CW's awareness/ability to pick up and pass ofd pass rushers on blitzes & stunts in 2019 was terrific.

His run blocking on the 2nd level was terrific. The difference in a good bad run play is often the difference in getting out to cut off a LB before the LB has moved out of reach.

In the modern pass-happy NFL with a preponderance of zone run blocking, precision blocking is more important that brute force only type blocking."

 

[Dak_Attack_09]

@blueblood70

 

[Dak_Attack_09]

@Ranching