Where will Williams go?

The N.C. State Wolfpack have five players entering the draft, but defensive end Mario Williams is the standout among them.

Many prognosticators rate him as the number one defensive player coming out of college. As of late there has even been discussion of Houston considering him as the number one pick. Though most people believe that Houston is just creating a smokescreen to help entice a possible trade, it still has to be said that they visited at length with the standout from Wolfpack nation.

Williams is what you would call an impact player. Simply put, he is a beast. He runs a 4.73 40. He plays with incredible power and at 6-7 and 294 he presents an intimidating combination of size, speed, and athleticism.

When he plays aggressively he impacts every play and can be a destructive force in every aspect of the game. However, if there is a knock on Williams it is that he will quit on a play, especially on back side pursuit. He can explode off the snap and bull rush a tackle into the lap of a quarterback, but he will go through stretches where he does not play with that same intensity.

He has been compared by some to Julius Peppers and Dwight Freeney but he will never have the speed off the edge that makes Freeney the freak like player he is. Williams will beat tackles around the corner but he will rely on more power then Freeney does. He isn’t quite as athletic or fast as Peppers but he’s close and he is stronger. Williams also possess pass rush moves far beyond his years. He can beat the offensive tackle with a swim/arm-over move, an aggressive club move and a strong inside rip move.

While Williams is a very tough football player, it is what’s between the ears that separates him from other players. He does not make mental mistakes. He has great football instincts and adjusts to the ball very well. His strength allows him to read the play, shed blockers and then accelerate to and through the play. To put it another way, Williams jacks up offensive tackles and uses them as his play toys which allows him to dictate the play. He is occasionally slowed by leg blocks. He does not always use his hands as effectively as he could to keep low blocks away from him.

The only concern that consistently comes up when scouts talk about Williams is his slight inconsistency coming off the line with aggression and determination.

At the end of the day, or the draft, he will be a top five pick. While Houston has floated some interest it is clear that he is on the radar screen of New Orleans and the NY Jets. Both NFL clubs are also considering another ACC standout D’Brickashaw Ferguson. The Jets have been linked to quarterback talk since midway through last season but don’t bet on it. The Jets need to replace John Abraham and no one will do that better then Williams.

New Orleans will make the decision for the Jets. They will pick Ferguson to protect newly acquired Drew Brees and Mario Williams will end up in NY with the Jets at number 4 in the draft.

- Stephen Winslow