DMN Blog: Dallas Cowboys draft review: LB Jason Williams

[cowboyjoe]

Dallas Cowboys draft review: LB Jason Williams
11:57 AM Tue, May 05, 2009 | Permalink | Yahoo! Buzz
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The first in a series of 12 posts focusing on the Cowboys' dozen draft picks


Selected: Third round, 69th overall
School: Western Illinois
Size: 6-1, 238

POSITIVES
Based on his pro day performance, you can make the case that Williams is the most athletic linebacker in this draft class. He wasn't invited to the scouting combine, but his 4.49 40 was faster than any time clocked by a linebacker in Indianapolis. He had a higher vertical leap (39 inches) and did more bench-press reps (26) than Aaron Curry, who went fourth overall to the Seahawks. Williams, an excellent special teams player, is an explosive hitter. He forced 14 fumbles during his college career, tying an NCAA record for all divisions. He's a physical player who spent a lot of time in opposing backfields (42.5 career tackles for losses, including 16.5 as a senior).


NEGATIVES
Williams, who is making a huge jump from the Gateway Conference to the NFL, needs a lot of work before he's ready to be an every-down player for the Cowboys. He primarily played a stand-up 3-technique at Western Illinois (lining up close to the line of scrimmage on the outside shoulder of the offensive guard) and has to make the adjustment to playing off the ball as a 3-4 inside linebacker. While he has the potential to be a playmaker in pass coverage, he needs to improve his technique and understanding of the passing game.

COWBOY FIT
Williams is expected to be an immediate impact player on special teams. He'll have the chance to compete to replace Kevin Burnett in the Cowboys' nickel and dime packages, but he'll have to show vast improvement during training camp to win that job. He's seen as the eventual successor to Keith Brooking at the weakside inside linebacker (Mo in the Cowboys' terminology). If Williams works hard and studies well, he should be a starter by his third season.

LB COACH REGGIE HERRING
"What we saw in him was a physical, fast linebacker that had run-hit qualities that we felt like we could train and develop at Mo and at the same time he would right away be a great special teams player and possibly help replace Kevin Burnett in our sub as the dime 'backer. He does possess great speed and burst. That's an asset as a football player. Now, there's a lot to learn, a lot to be learned out here. There's a lot of snaps and wrestling with angles we've got to go through, trials and tribulations, as far as getting the fundamentals down and starting from scratch. The good thing is he is raw, so he really doesn't have any bad habits. Everything is new, and whatever he can retain and sponge right now is great for down the road. I really believe he's a guy, because he has the ability, the speed, the run-hit factor, he can be a special player some day. If he meets us halfway and is a good student of the game and works hard and develops, we really could end up with a jewel there. But it remains to be seen. ... This is a game of space and ability and change of directions. When you talk about coverage skills, you talk about somebody who number one, has the athleticism to change direction and can flip his hips and burst and cover ground with speed. At the same time, you have to have instincts. You have to be natural at it, and we think he has all of that. He's just very raw. It's all new to him. There will be a lot of thinking early. We're starting from scratch with him. He should get better every day."

SCOUTING REPORTS

NFL Draft Scout (CBSSports.com)

Draft Countdown

 

[big dog cowboy]

He forced 14 fumbles during his college career, tying an NCAA record for all divisions. He's a physical player who spent a lot of time in opposing backfields (42.5 career tackles for losses, including 16.5 as a senior).

I remember reading that on draft day and went

I read that today and still go

 

[cowboyjoe]

I remember reading that on draft day and went

I read that today and still go

thats what i liked about him, also big dog, remember who also played at western illinois? bryan cox that played for jets i think, mike wagner who played for the steelers, and a few others

yep if you caused that many fumbles, then your doing someething right, and plus that he has superior speed, jason williams has a technique kinda like lawrence taylor did, he would wrap you up with one arm, then take his other arm and slap the ball out of your grasp

 

[jobberone]

If he can ward off interior lineman then he sounds like the real deal. He'll be protected some at the Mo but you can't run around IL every play.

Can't wait for camp. There is going to be more competition this year.

 

[NeonNinja]

If he can ward off interior lineman then he sounds like the real deal. He'll be protected some at the Mo but you can't run around IL every play.

Can't wait for camp. There is going to be more competition this year.

I do believe that extra competition is going to help out a lot, this team lacked depth and competition severely.

 

[CoCo]

In many ways I think the profile of Jason Williams represents our predominant philosophy in this draft.

It can easily be misconstrued to be a "special teams" or "backups" draft. But I think right or wrong this draft represents a philosophy that says its unlikely we'd find immediate starters where we were picking so lets try to draft guys that in 3 years time might be better than some of the more game ready players that we passed over. Guys with more upside if you will.

J.Williams, McGee, Butler, B/Williams, Hodge, & Mickens represent that thinking to me. Now its a plus if they can be immediate ST guy's too.

There is a lot of gamble in our picks. Odds suggest we'll bust far more than we boom from this group. But I think the team felt like it was a risk they wanted to take. We'll see how it works out.

 

[Future]

If he can ward off interior lineman then he sounds like the real deal. He'll be protected some at the Mo but you can't run around IL every play.

Can't wait for camp. There is going to be more competition this year.

That's a pretty large if. It's more or less the same problem that Bobby has had since we drafted him if I'm not mistaken, so that will be no easy task.

 

[arglebargle]

In many ways I think the profile of Jason Williams represents our predominant philosophy in this draft.

It can easily be misconstrued to be a "special teams" or "backups" draft. But I think right or wrong this draft represents a philosophy that says its unlikely we'd find immediate starters where we were picking so lets try to draft guys that in 3 years time might be better than some of the more game ready players that we passed over. Guys with more upside if you will.

J.Williams, McGee, Butler, B/Williams, Hodge, & Mickens represent that thinking to me. Now its a plus if they can be immediate ST guy's too.

There is a lot of gamble in our picks. Odds suggest we'll bust far more than we boom from this group. But I think the team felt like it was a risk they wanted to take. We'll see how it works out.

Good call. I think that the Cowboys backups have not impressed the coaches enough to believe they are going to step up, so the team went out and found some guys who have the potential to do so. And pretty much they are all hard working guys, so even if they don't start, they will be hitting the traces hard in whatever role they get.

It will be interesting to see the competition for nickle backer now, as Hodge looked best in minicamp. And there's always Carpenter to consider....or maybe not....

 

[Silverstar]

That's a pretty large if. It's more or less the same problem that Bobby has had since we drafted him if I'm not mistaken, so that will be no easy task.

I wouldn't doubt him though, he's got good upper body strength with 26 reps.

 

[Chocolate Lab]

I liked the pick at the time because he does have great athletic ability and he is supposedly a hard worker, but it sounds like he has a TON to learn before he plays much, and I hope those instincts do come around.

But notice how often Herring talks about "Run and HIT". Got to love that. It's clear we wanted to get more physical with the players we took this draft.

 

[Bluefin]

That's a pretty large if. It's more or less the same problem that Bobby has had since we drafted him if I'm not mistaken, so that will be no easy task.

Bobby Carpenter seems to lack the "want to" when it comes to engaging an offensive lineman and getting off the block. Carp just wants to try and run around obstacles instead of taking them on.

I'm down on Carp, but he has talent and can play in the NFL. I just don't know if he'll ever be what we want, a job on the nickel isn't even a sure thing with two hungry rookies lurking.

I can't wait to see Jason Williams on the field, he lined up over guards in college, so he shouldn't be hesitant about fighting his way through blockers and plugging up holes when asked.

It's just a question of how quickly he will adapt to the jump in competition and re-learning to play off the line of scrimmage again.