Is Mario Williams NFL ready?

[gtexan02]

There was a lot of talk about how drafting Wiliams #1 would allow us to play the #1 pick more than if we drafted Young (1-2 year project) or Bush (split carries).

All the commentators thorughout the game, a lot of the posters, and even I have noticed recently that despite having great athletic ability, he seems utterly confused in the NFL. He bites on fakes, misses on screens, and reacts too slowly almost every other time. He's not quick off the snap. He doesn't have any move other than the bull rush. He often launches himself as a tackler instead of making the solid wrap-up hit.

So here is my question: Are we rushing him into the starting lineup? We have some decent backup DEs, so why not start them and let Williams sit for a few weeks? Is it the media? Is it his confidence? Right now I actually think he is more of a liability than threat, and I would rather play Babin or Peek than continue getting poor play from someone just because he's getting $60+ million

[powerfuldragon]

he's might be rushed into the starting lineup, but he sho' hasn't rushed no quartabacks.

(said it before anyone else to get it out of the way.)

[D-Vizzl]

I want to hear from people who attended practices, has he ever showed any of you that he has a swim move, or did he lower his shoulder and degree his body, I have yet to see any of these two and even Courtney Brown possessed this, heck even Thomas Johnson displays signs of it.

[MYDAUGHTER'STEXANS]

Every sports news station in the country is saying Mario is raw........he might need some time to watch from the side as you stated, the pressure on him is enormous, I'm sure that does not help neither.....

[HOU-TEX]

If he was to sit and watch. Who's going to fill the spot? Has anyone noticed someone stepping up? From what I saw yesterday, no.

[TexanFanInCC]

he looks unready, but who doesnt look unready on this defense? mario probably isnt the weakest link on our defense. the only reason why people exploit him as being the weakest link is because we drafted him over bush.

[TexanFanInCC]

and im not a big fan of what the coaching staff has done with him by moving him around the line. sure it says alot about how the coaches feel about his potential, but its hard to get comfortable when u are lining up at different spots. they need to keep him in one spot and let him get comfortable b4 transitioning him around.

[Tale Gator]

Mario is seeming more and more like a long-term project, but there is no reason to not have him in there getting game experience vs. seasoned pros.

[Vinny]

Mario Williams is raw...he has zero football instinct. He runs himself out of plays, has zero bull rush, and stands upright way way way too much and loses all his leverage. He is easily blocked by TE's right now...hell, even blocking backs are stoning him. Too bad Wake Forest isn't on our schedule.

[joetexan]

He has not shown a shred of evidence that he was deserving of being No. 1 overall. Maybe Reggie Bush hasn't put up monster stats yet (though he has produced), but he's definitely shown glimpses. I haven't watched Vince Young play to know whether he has or not, but he'll be starting in Tennessee later this year so he must be doing something right. D'Brickashaw had that monster block on a long run down the sideline, and the Jets are 2-1 and he's played a role in it. Vernon Davis has caught a TD, made a few nice plays, but then got hurt yesterday and is out for a month. AJ Hawk has made a couple of plays here and there in Green Bay.

Mario has done zero. He's shown zero prospects of anything like a top defensive player. And he's shown zero intensity. I'm thinking that's not "raw". He's just not that good.

[Htown34s]

If he is a bust, as a number 1 overall, that would set us back 2 years IMO.

Also IMO, you don't take that big of a project overall number 1, especially in this years draft class.

We were told that McNair wants to win now, not later, that is why we took Mario. That tells me that they didn't think he was that much of a project. That tells me that the head office made an assumption that was wrong.

Sad truth is that 3 of our D-Linemen we drafted in the first round who may not be able to start on most of the other teams in the league...

I agree, he's getting locked up too easily by weaker opponents in 1 on 1's. He should have a sack by now considering he's not double teamed and the TE is put on him. Inexcuseable. He needs to go look at tapes of Reggie White and learn how to do more moves.

[Blake]

Quote from Mario about the Skins.

“He was throwing the ball quickly for one thing, and I was getting double and triple-teamed. They were using play action pass with a tight end and a tackle blocking me. As a unit, though we still have to make strides to get better and get back there to disrupt the play.”

Was he getting doubled, and tripple teamed? I didnt see it.

[Double Barrel]

Originally Posted by Vinny

Mario Williams is raw...he has zero football instinct. He runs himself out of plays, has zero bull rush, and stands upright way way way too much and loses all his leverage. He is easily blocked by TE's right now...hell, even blocking backs are stoning him. Too bad Wake Forest isn't on our schedule.

Exactly. I watched him every play he was on the field (through binoculars), and he was getting owned. He NEVER showed any flashes of greatness, to where you could say "now I see why they drafted him".

One play a TE blocked him and went on to catch a pass for a gain. Another had an o-lineman picking him up where Mario's feet kept running but there was no ground. It looked like a freakin' cartoon!

I've given him the benefit of the doubt...but that doubt is creeping into my inner being.

[Mr. White]

Originally Posted by Vinny

Mario Williams is raw...he has zero football instinct. He runs himself out of plays, has zero bull rush, and stands upright way way way too much and loses all his leverage. He is easily blocked by TE's right now...hell, even blocking backs are stoning him. Too bad Wake Forest isn't on our schedule.

Anybody else see that Redskins TE tie him up for the block, let him go, and then catch the ball? They were toying with him.

I've been trying to take up for him but he's making it tough....

I'm thinking that Richard Smith is more of a problem than anybody playing...even D-Rob looks like a chump lately.

[WWJD]

Maybe he should be moved to defensive tackle and kept there.

[TheOgre]

Originally Posted by Vinny

Too bad Wake Forest isn't on our schedule.

We will have to settle for the Oakland Raiders.

[profan]

i did not zero in on mario every play, the few times i watched him, he was not getting double or triple teamed. He would try to rush from the outside and all the blocker had to due was just follow and push him out of the play. he took himself out of alot of plays with this outside rush and the back just slid inside on some plays. not impressive at all. no one in their right mind would triple team this guy. It is not necessary at this point in time.

[TheOgre]

Originally Posted by Htown34s

If he is a bust, as a number 1 overall, that would set us back 2 years IMO.

How does that set us back two years? If we are bad again this year, then we will likely draft in the top 5. We would basically be right back where we were coming into this year's draft.

[Vinny]

Mario should challenge the others to a bench press or 3 cone drill, in shorts....that will show you some upside.