The '06 Draft Pass Rushers:

Kyle Williams

January 3, 2006

By Fred Pasek

When the draft rolls around in April of 2006, there will be 32 teams lined up around the corner, hoping for a chance at a handful of players who will have proven themselves over the 2005 season to be pass rushers worthy of high draft picks.   Each of these players will have a “signature move”, a move they will rely on as their most effective at getting to the quarterback.   Invariably, this move has a direct correlation to the player’s physique and strengths.   DraftBoardInsider.com has taken a closer look at the best moves of some of the most likely players to fill the top of the 2006 NFL draft board.

Kyle Williams, DT ― LSU, 6’2”/295 lbs.  [official bio]

Defensive tackles rarely get credit for sacks, but that in no way means they are not an important part of the pass rush.  Though it’s difficult for the big men inside to break free and get good shots at quarterbacks due to the amount of traffic around them – there’s usually a guard or center to help out on the inside, and backs are taught to look inside first before turning their attention outward in pass blocking since the inside men have the shortest line to the quarterback – a good defensive tackle can still help tremendously by pushing his man back into the quarterback’s face.  The deeper a defensive tackle can take his man, the more confined the quarterback will feel, and the tendency is for the QB to drop back even more, putting him farther away from the line of scrimmage and his receivers, as well as making him more accessible to the outside rushers who can take a deeper route on their rush around the tackles.

Kyle Williams, LSU’s enormous defensive tackle, has been one of the best tackles in college this year at pushing the pocket, but he’s much more than that.  In their game against Alabama, Williams lined up early in the game against second string center Taylor Britt who was filling in due to an injury.  Britt will some day be a fine player, but he wasn’t ready for the speed and power that Williams brings to the position. 

LSU head coach Les Miles likes to take his stud tackle and line him up cocked at an angle to the center, a nuance of interior line play made famous by the Pittsburgh Steelers’ defensive genius of the 70s, Bud Carson, and his use of Joe Greene.  When Coach Miles feels he has a center who can be overmatched by Williams, he will turn him to the side and have Williams drive him, not just back, but back and to the side to open lanes through which stunting linemen or blitzing backers can rush the passer.  Williams is remarkably quick off the ball, getting his hands off the ground and into his man with lightning quick reflexes.  Once he has his hands on the blocker, he uses his massive arms to move and rip the player.

Early in the game, the Crimson Tide’s line was having a terrible time trying to contain the LSU defensive line, particularly Williams.  But ‘Bama got a break in the first quarter when a quick completion and a roughing the quarterback penalty moved them inside LSU territory.  Unfortunately for them, they got into a third and long situation.  Williams lined up cocked inside on the right shoulder of Britt and fired out with the snap.  The Crimson Tide coaching staff was looking for Williams to drive the center over and back and had their linemen on the lookout for stunting linemen and backers, but LSU crossed them up.  Instead of having Williams drive his man, they had him club the center with a power left jab and made him the rusher going through the hole he created himself.  Williams shot staggered the young center and knocked him off balance and that’s all Williams needed.  He quickly swam over the center right shoulder with his right arm aimed his sights on a helpless Brodie Croyle. 

Croyle had set up eight yards deep in the pocket, but it wasn’t deep enough.  Williams has a much longer stride than one would expect from a 6’2” tackle and his acceleration and burst in the open field is such that, were he to be given outside contain as in a 3-4 DE position, he would have no trouble covering the ground to the outside.  Williams covered the ground in three quick strides, and, even though Croyle saw him coming the whole way and had plenty of room to move, Williams was on him so quickly that the quarterback could do nothing more than toss the ball weakly away as Williams brought him down by the legs. 

Williams’ outstanding athleticism will make him ideal for any position along the defensive line.  And, no matter what spot that is, he’ll be a handful for the opponent’s pass protection to deal with, as he charges at their QB.