The Dallas Cowboys have one of the best defenses in the NFL. It has the potential to be even better as the second half of the 2022 season approaches, and a recent high draft pick is a big reason why.

Edge rusher Sam Williams, the Cowboys' second-round selection back in April, is coming off of his best performance during his rookie campaign with three tackles, two sacks, and forced fumble, and a fumble recovery against the Detroit Lions last Sunday.

Pro Football Focus noticed the young stud's big day and mentioned that his stock has gone up after Week 7.

Doug Kyed on Williams:

"The rookie earned an even better pass-rush grade than Micah Parsons (93.4 vs. 91.2) with two sacks on just eight pass-rush snaps in the win over the Lions."

Williams didn't just have his breakout game against the Lions, he did so in limited action, with just 14 snaps logged. Gradually, Williams has been showing this kind of promise for quite a while. Williams has rushed the passer 29 times and has six pressures, four quarterback hits, three hurries, and two sacks over the last several weeks.

Cowboys rookie DE Sam Williams is still nowhere near his developmental ceiling, and that is what excites team most. His 14 defensive snaps in Sunday's win over Lions included his first two career NFL sacks with a body slam (no penalty) in between. pic.twitter.com/ilZevnzBAu

— Michael Gehlken (@GehlkenNFL) October 24, 2022

Williams was a star at Ole Miss last season. He led the SEC with 13 sacks and was named a third-team All-American. However, it wasn't just his prowess rushing from the edge that made him a valuable commodity. Williams also played some 4i-tech which slid him inside to go up against guards which speaks to his strength and versatility.

As is the case for any player coming out of college, there's an adjustment that needs to be made when it comes to how much faster the game is in the NFL. Williams mentioned that that's one aspect his starting to master.

“I’m trying to play at a high level,” Williams said. " The game is starting to get a little slower for me, so now all I’ve just got to do is be consistent and play with effort like I’ve been doing.”

There's plenty of time left in the 2022 season, and all signs point to Williams being a big part of the Cowboys' defensive plans going forward.

Feature image via Jason Parkhurst-USA TODAY Sports

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