Is Leonard Williams Underrated? Low NFL Top 100 spot met with criticism
If there are 98 players in the NFL better than Leonard Williams, I've got some prime real estate to sell you on Mars.
Leonard Williams' inclusion at No. 99 on the NFL's Top 100 List was a well-deserved piece of recognition for one of the Seahawks' best players- especially considering only 8 defensive tackles made the list in 2024, as compared with 20 wide receivers. However, the placement at #99 has been met with criticism from members of the media who think he's still underappreciated.
Corbin K. Smith prompted the discussion Monday morning:
Sami ON Tap shared a similar sentiment and provided context Williams' rankings in the past:
I love that Leonard Williams made the NFL Top 100.#99 lands at #99.I really thought he would be higher than that.He has been higher when he was on the Giants, and this was his first time making it on the Seahawks..2021: #842022: #972023: N/A2024: N/A2025: #99 pic.twitter.com/gyPjZmMbQS
By the numbers, their point is valid. PFF's analytics say this was the best season of Williams' career by a sizable margin, with his 87.1 DEF grade in 2025 followed by only one other season above 80 in 2016 (81.4). He made the Pro Bowl both years, but also received NFL Defensive Player of the Year votes this season. It will be interesting to see if players who finished below him in DPOY voting place above him on the Top 100. Williams posted elite numbers compared to other interior defensive linemen last season. He tied for 2nd with 11 sacks, ranked 4th with 15 QB hits, and tied for 9th with 54 pressures. While his 2020 season with the New York Giants earned him the No. 84 spot on 2021's list with similar stats, two differences stick out that he should get more credit for in 2025- he was forced into a much more versatile role and had one of the best plays of the season doing so.His role was more interior-based in 2025. Even though he recorded a career high in sacks in 2020, it's easier to get half a sack more playing a true defensive end; making his 2025 sack total more impressive. He also spent 16 snaps in coverage, an absolute anomaly for a human weighing 302 pounds, and produced a truly magical moment for Seattle against his former team.Trailing the New York Jets 21-6 in the 2nd quarter, Williams recorded a 92-yd pick six which sparked Seattle to a 20 unanswered-point, comeback win. It is one of the best examples of a dominant play by an individual player in recent NFL memory and is typically a scenario reserved for high school and college defensive lineman prospects who are leagues above their competition.The fact that Williams' made a high school highlight happen in an NFL Game shows both his uniqueness and quality at his position. While the NFL agrees he belongs on the Top 100 this year, many wonder what he would have to do to be a top 80 player that he hasn't already.The precedent is unclear. He already ranks 4th in PFF DEF Grade for DIs, so it's hard to see him gaining ground without being outright the best DT in the league. However, it is a player vote, so it's unlikely they're obsessing over PFF Grades and stats. They typically put more stock into who they've played with and against.While Leonard Williams' placement on the NFL Top 100 might be low, he's finally getting discussed. The recognition is great to see, but it's even better that it caused enough controversy to highlight him in conversations.
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