1 sack a game Will’ do
pposing coaches will likely suffer from insomnia upon hearing Leonard Williams’ newest objective for the upcoming season. If the Jets defensive lineOman
weren’t already enough of a royal pain in the posterior, he has raised his personal bar to frightening levels.
“My goal this year is a sack in every game,” Williams told the Daily News. “That’s my goal. It seems like something that’s pretty tangible. If you’re looking at it game-by-game, a sack a game doesn’t seem too far away (or) too far of a stretch.”
Williams has proven to be much more than just a large human with a wild shock of hair in his first two seasons. He has been a versatile, disruptive force who has fast become the face of the franchise, a 6-5, 302-pound game-wrecker with an arrow pointing to the sun.
He hasn’t shared his lofty goal with his coaches. “It’s just something that I think about personally,” he said. He didn’t have an aha moment, either. “I don’t think I really woke up with it one day,” he said.
Williams has 10 career sacks in 32 games, but don’t be fooled. He’s a consistent annoyance, a pocket-collapsing presence who knows he’s been tantalizingly close to the quarterback more times than not. Williams had at least seven pressures from five different alignment techniques last season en route to 55 quarterback pressures, according to Pro Football Focus.
When he doesn’t drill the signal caller, he’s usually in the neighborhood.
“You’re going to be close sometimes,” Williams said. “You’re going to miss. That’s where good players become great. Changing that. From close to making it.” The scariest part: Williams is only 23. He was a first alternate for the Pro Bowl after his breakout second season (seven sacks, 68 tackles, two forced fumbles). He is stout against the run, too. Williams was second to former teammate Damon Harrison in defensive stops among interior lineman last season, per PFF.
Sheldon Richardson, Mo Wilkerson and Williams comprise one of the most talented defensive line trios in the league. The trick now is juggling that talent.
“Coaches are really saying that they like our one-on-one matchups with me and Sheldon on guards,” Williams said in the run-up to the Jets’ third preseason game against the Giants Saturday. “And they like Mo more on the tackles. So they position us in the right places.”
Williams is a pliable piece to Todd Bowles’ defensive puzzle who has proven to be productive all across the formation.
“When he moves, he looks smaller than he really is,” defensive line coach Robert Nunn said. “He’s got very good quickness . ... I don’t believe he’s scratched the surface to where he can go. My only hope is that I don’t screw him up. Because he’s a talented young man with a really unique skill set . ... I’m not sure where the ceiling is, to be honest with you.”
Nobody does, which has made folks on One Jets Drive downright giddy in the run-up to a season likely littered with speed bumps. Williams is one of the few knowns on a roster of unknowns, a compass for a wayward team.
He has taken ownership of his own personal growth with the maturity of a much older man. He has added an important element to his daily routine that has made all the difference: daily meditation.
He’ll meditate for 5-10 minutes when he wakes up and just before he falls asleep each day.
“It just helps me set an intention on my day in the morning,” said Williams, who was introduced to meditating by girlfriend Hailey Lott, daughter of Hall of Famer Ronnie Lott. “The night meditations are: Did I accomplish my intention?”
Williams’ transformation from a reserved rookie to an emerging leader has been stark. Attending a leadership symposium in the spring was a critical step in his development. He admits it’s still challenging getting in a teammate’s face in a productive way, but he’s getting there.
“I’m a little bit more comfortable with who I am,” Williams said. “I’m a little more established on the team. So, I’m comfortable with it now, but it’s still hard in general to step out of your comfort zone and tell somebody else what to do.”
Williams is a budding superstar. Nobody would be surprised if he realizes his new goal.