Ian Rapoport tweeted this last night: One reason why Leonard Williams has slipped is some teams flagged him with a shoulder (labrum) issue. Not all teams. But some in Top 10. What do we think about this? Lingering issue in 2015? Maybe long term issue? Or maybe nothing?
I saw that as well on rotoworld....leave it to us to keep drafting injury plagued college players and expecting them to be healthy in a faster harder hitting league...pathetic...Kevin white should have been drafted...new regime SAME fuckin stupid decisions
OK since we don't have a QB don't bother drafting offense, dumbest fucking thing I ever read from some people here. You know top receivers have been known to do wonders for QBs... Let's just completely ignore the offense because our QB's are mediocre to bad, great plan. We've drafted a DE 3 out of the last 4 years, a Safety, and DB in the first round. We completely ignored offense and we suck. So what do we do, pass on a very legit WR prospect (who was sucked up immediately by the Bears) for yet another DE (with a possible lingering shoulder problem).
To quote Rich Cimini: "No, they don't have a franchise quarterback, but at least they can take pleasure in terrorizing opponents' quarterbacks. With that defensive front, coupled with Darrelle Revis & Co. in the secondary, the Jets' defense might be banned in some states."
Grantland's review of the pick (they gave out "awards"): http://grantland.com/the-triangle/welcome-to-the-2015-nfl-draft-awards/ The Most Terrifying Talent Stack Leonard Williams and the Jets, who found the draft’s most highly regarded player on the board at no. 6 and took him without worrying about how he would play in their defense. This is different from the situation I just mentioned with Fowler and the Jaguars. There’s an obvious fit for Williams in New York; he’ll be a 5-technique defensive end, which was always going to be his ideal landing spot. The problem is that the Jets are loaded at defensive end, where they already line up a pair of Pro Bowl–caliber ends in Muhammad Wilkerson and Sheldon Richardson. Defensive end was already the most impressive position on Gang Green’s roster; now, they’ve added the sixth overall pick to the mix. I can understand hearing complaints about this from Jets fans who wanted the team to add an edge rusher or even another wideout, especially with Kevin White still on the board. But there are dumber things than building your team through a dominant defensive line. The cross-stadium Giants built their championship-winning teams from 2007 and 2011 on deep, athletic defensive linemen, beating the Patriots in a pair of Super Bowls by whipping their offensive linemen one-on-one. Todd Bowles blitzed as much as anybody during his time in Arizona, but if he can get pressure by rushing four, he would be foolish not to take it. When the Jets go into sub packages, Bowles will be able to mix and match his linemen to his heart’s content while keeping them fresh with steady rotations. The other concern is over Wilkerson’s future. The Jets haven’t come to terms with the New Jersey native on a long-term contract, and there has naturally been post-draft speculation that the Jets selected Williams with the idea that he’ll replace Wilkerson in the starting lineup after Wilkerson eventually leaves town. I find that one hard to believe. Wilkerson is entering the final year of his rookie contract, during which he’ll make just under $7 million. The Jets can franchise him next year while paying him somewhere around $12 million, which wouldn’t be an unfair sum. Wilkerson can get more than that on the free market, but with that leverage, the Jets should be able to entice him to sign a lengthy extension. My suspicion is that Wilkerson will stay and Bowles will get the most out of his new charges.
I recall a similar furor when we didnt draft Tavon Austin. WVU offensive players are notoriously underwhelming because that offense makes them look so good. Slaton, Geno, Austin
I can understand why some fans are upset with the pick especially with an already stacked D line and White on the board, but Williams was easily BPA and you don't pass on that type of talent. This draft is deep in WR's (again) and we can easily add one in the second.
Williams had surgery in 2013 and then played in all 13 games in 2014. Missed no time. He is fully recovered.
Not too big a mystery that the Defense minded Coach would have a defensive player rated higher than an offensive player. I realize that everybody had Williams rated just under God but, an additional DL guy we really didn't need. Just doesn't make sense to go BPA even though you have no place for that particular player but a need for the BPA offensive player.
lol still blaming coaches for draft picks.. i'm sure it was just a case of a defensive minded coach looking to load up, and had nothing to do with Mac's philosophy on drafting the best talent.
I rarely pay any attention to the Giants-- I don't live in the NY market area, so I don't pay any more attention to them than I do, say the Jaguars--but I do distinctly recall the 2006 Draft where they picked Kiwanuka in the first round, and I thought it was damned ridiculous when they already had Strahan, Osi, Tuck, and a handful of other guys playing on that line. It wasn't like that team didn't have a ton of needs elsewhere. A year later, they beat the until-then undefeated Patsies in the superbowl by stomping Tommy and his O-line into the dirt. At that point, I realized having 6 or 7 starting quality D-linemen is really worthwhile. If you have the personnel to rotate in and keep the hammer down and pound away at the O-line play after play it can really make up for some serious deficiencies (our linebacker corps comes to mind....oh, and our offense).
I'm sure Bowles had input on this. No way he was at the corner bar when this pick was made. The best talent on defense was less of a need than the best talent on offense available at that pick.
Bowles stated before the draft he wasn't going to be lobbying for any players. Mac stated before the draft he will take the best talent available, and not just use the first round to fill a need. it's pretty obvious how this decision was made. maybe Bowles had some input in grading the players, but so did numerous scouts, as well as position coaches and coordinators. you are reaching here.. WR is not even a dire need. you may have wanted offense (as did I), but the board didn't cooperate. we simply took the best talent available.
I've never seen Williams play. The Jets didn't need a DL, I didn't want a DL, and had little time to watch and scout prospects this year anyway. As I've stated, however, it's not that I don't like the Williams pick in and of itself. Draft picks aren't made in a vacuum, however. One has to take into consideration the team's previous draft picks and its needs. The offense has been horribly ignored in the draft for at least the last 5 years and maybe closer to 10. The first round pick in the last 5 drafts has gone to the D side of the ball, and 4 of the last 5 it's been a DL. That's asinine and a waste of resources. There's no way they're going to be able to pay 3 Pro Bowl level DL in the future, and even if they can, it means that the offense will continue to be shit. I'm sick of that. I want a great offense.
Well, its not like I'm expecting anything out of the Jets offensively this year so, no great loss passing on blue chip talent. This defense had better be the second coming of the 2000 Ravens.
Please note the booing at 11 seconds when the pick was announced. The Bears fans were LIVID, as it appeared perfect for them, in dire need of DL help, to land Williams. Then the Jets crushed their dreams. They ended up happy with White, but Williams would have made that place explode.
