Leonard Williams makes PFF’s top 25 players under 25 list

Pro Football Focus put out a ranking of the top 25 players in the NFL under 25 years of age. Leonard Williams is on the list.

16. LEONARD WILLIAMS, DI, NEW YORK JETS

Williams’ play has been incredibly consistent since being drafted in the top-10 of the 2015 draft as he is yet to record a single year-long grade under 84.8 overall. While 2017 wasn’t his best, he was still disruptive as both a pass-rusher and defending the run. Over the past two seasons, Williams has notched 37 combined sacks and hits, and among interior defenders, only Aaron Donald has more.

I feel like Williams gets sold a bit short for how effective and productive he is because he hasn’t put up monster stats in the areas people typically look. His sack total was pretty low, but as PFF notes he was productive as a pass rusher. Hits are important and destroy plays, and he produced plenty of them.

Because he has been with the team for so long, it also is easy to lose track of the fact he is only 23 year old. Williams will turn 24 before the start of the season, but having a guy so young on the team who already has a Pro Bowl trip is something to appreciate.