Debunking Mario Williams

[motife]

http://www.nola.com/printer/printer.ssf?/base/sports-23/1145686415275360.xml

Times Picayune :

As good as Mario Williams looks, he does have his detractors.

Former Cleveland Browns coach and current NFL Network analyst Butch Davis said the hype for Williams is a bit much.

"I think he's a good player who should go in the top 10, but to say he's a once-in-a-decade talent is over-reaching," Davis said. "He's one of those big, massive, powerful, big-legged, big-butted kids, but not one of those jet-rocket guys coming off the edge.

"He needs to learn a lot of technique and become a real accomplished power rusher. If the Saints do take him, it's overkill because they're already stocked with quality ends."

Others point out that in college Williams was known for taking more than a few plays off, and that Wolfpack coach Chuck Amato more than once had to light a fire under him, also noting that Williams was voted only the fourth-best defensive player in the Atlantic Coast Conference last season.

[Bretsky]

Doesn't surprise me.

Take the best defensive leader in this draft.
Take the best defensive player in college football last year.
Take a fiery and inpirational leader to lead this team back to excellence.


Take AJ Hawk

[Rastak]

Doesn't surprise me.

Take the best defensive leader in this draft.
Take the best defensive player in college football last year.
Take a fiery and inpirational leader to lead this team back to excellence.


Take AJ Hawk

He'd be a great pick Bretsky. On some Vike boards I've heard several people want to trade up to get him, which is stupid as hell....the cost would be way too much to get to #4 I think.....but it's a helluva pick for Green Bay.

[retailguy]

Doesn't surprise me.

Take the best defensive leader in this draft.
Take the best defensive player in college football last year.
Take a fiery and inpirational leader to lead this team back to excellence.


Take AJ Hawk

Bretsky,

You make it sound like this guy is the second coming of Christ.... Name a linebacker that has remained dominant WITHOUT 2 big guys in front of him? Urlacher? Nope. Lewis? Nope. Singletary? Nope. Arrington? Please.

Linebackers by default are too small to make a dramatic difference without a good DL. Plenty of DE's make a difference without a good DL. Plenty of ordinary LB's make a big difference with a good DL.

As crazy as it sounds, we need Ferguson if we stay at 5 (best overall value by most experts opinions), but more importantly, we need to trade down and get more picks. We DO NOT need AJ Hawk at 5. Maybe at 10 or 12, but NOT at 5. If he doesn't last that long, too bad.

[Rivers Rutherford]

I have seen Hawk play in person both his junior and senior year, and not just against Wisconsin. It is hard to argue against Hawks ability to finish a play and consistently be around the ball. You simply can't run away from #47. If you don't believe me look at the fact that he had the fastest short shuttle time at the whole combine. As an outside linebacker it is not as critical to have big bodied defensive linemen in front of you as it does for the man in the middle.

The argument is still futile, in the fact that some team will take Williams ahead of the Packers and they will be disappointed with his production for the next 3 to 4 years until he actually learns and uses proper technique, and stops relying only on his athletic ability. Personally I am thrilled that some other team is going to take him entirely on his measurables.

[retailguy]

Rivers,

I'm not necessarily a Mario fan either. I do think the "risk/return" is better on Williams than Hawk, but I agree, it is likely that someone else takes williams before the packers.

That's why I believe that someone trades up. The top two QB's, one will be "on the board", or Williams AND Ferguson will be there. Somebody will trade up. Of that, I have little doubt. I'll be shocked if the Packers pick at 5, and VERY disappointed as well.

[b bulldog]

If Hawk is the best player on the D sidde of the ball in this draft, why aren't teams thinking about drafting him 1-4 and why do so many people think that he isn't worth being picked at 5. It's funny, someone finds an article that brings up the red flags on Mario and the Hawk fans post it till the cows come home. I guess I find no need to post the negative comments on Hawk. I guess I should start posting them but that would be beating a dead horse since he will be there at 5 and Mario won't. Three best players in this draft are Fergy,Bush and Mario, enough said!!

[b bulldog]

4.6/40 at the combine? Maybe we should draft Mario to play LB.

[RashanGary]

4.66 at 295 LBS

Nah.....He'll do just fine at the highest rated position other than QB.


I was not a huge Mario fan untill I saw his combine. Lets face it; he wasn't amazing in college.

With that being said, I think its common place for a DE to take some time to develop. Guys like Lawson and Wimbley are as good now as they'll ever be because they have max explosion right now and the edge rush is their only real move. Mario is fast and explosive but it's hard for him to get his weight to turn the corner so he cannot get buy with just an edge rush. The point of this whole paragraph is that it takes time for players to develop effective counter moves. Mario's game is going to depend largely on his ability to become a tactician like Reggie White was. Mario has the physical ability to dominate on the next level. Had Mario played his senior season I think people would have seen a much more dominate player. He's not ready yet but if he puts it together he can be a bigger impact for his team than Reggie Bush.

[b bulldog]

I agree and have stated numerous times that I think it will take him a year and one half to become a true,dominant force. Mario is just a kid. I think he is still 20 years old. He has the frame to carry 310lbs without losing any speed.

[RashanGary]

I think it will take him untill his 3rd year to be dominate. He should be a good player like Kampman from day 1 though.

[b bulldog]

Who do you like better now, Davis or Hawk. I'd go Davis, definitely if we can trade Walker for a 2 and have two second rounders to pick up more D talent.

[RashanGary]

It's too hard for me to call but Davis is a better athlete without a doubt.

[Joemailman]

If it's between Davis or hawk, I have to go Hawk. Tight Ends taken high in the 1st round have a tendency to disappoint. Take the instinctive linebacker over the physical freak.

[RashanGary]

The 5th pick is a nice place to be so both players are great. If I'm a gambling man and I want the bigger upside I take Davis. If I want the sure thing I take Hawk.

If it was me picking I think I'd take Davis when push came to shove.