The San Francisco 49ers have been doing some work on edge rushers, as they look for an option to man the Leo/Elephant role in their new 4-3 defense. We learned this morning that the team brought in Kansas State edge rusher Jordan Willis for a visit on Wednesday. Friday afternoon, NFL Draft Insider’s Jared Tokarz spoke with Alabama edge rusher Tim Williams and learned he had a private workout with the 49ers.
#Alabama Edge Tim Williams told me he has already had private workouts with #49ers #Bills #Ravens #Steelers #Jets #Colts #Seahawks pic.twitter.com/DskZDkUYT8
— Jared Tokarz (@NFLDraftInsider) April 7, 2017
Back in February, shortly before the NFL Combine, Greg Valerio offered a few thoughts on Williams in his edge rusher rankings. He ranked Williams behind Myles Garrett, Derek Barnett, and Takkarist McKinley, and projected him as a first or second round pick. He is immensely talented, but there are reports of multiple failed drug tests, along with an arrest for a misdemeanor gun charge.
Here’s what Greg had to say about Williams’ football skills:
Athletically gifted prospect with an explosive skill-set NFL teams desire with their pass rush specialists. The high-motored playmaker showcases superb athleticism, burst, speed, and bend off the edge playing with quickness and terrific suddenness covering a lot of area on the field. Displays good technique (relies a lot on athleticism alone), excellent burst and closing speed, amazing first-step off the line, exceptional balance, fair hands with great pop (violent hard punch) at the point of attack, quick to transition into pass rush moves, impressive change of direction skills, fair at stacking and shedding, and fair against the run. He also possesses great balance and body control, where coming out of the arc from his bend he is able to adjust with ease flattening and taking advantage of his length and athleticism. A fluid athlete with sound awareness, great agility stunting or twisting exploding with closing speed attacking the ball carrier hitting with explosion. Will need to show functional strength and improvement in the run game (inconsistent shedding from blockers).