Cowboys coveted draft pick is starting to turn the corner
The Dallas Cowboys are having an excellent season defensively. However, during the first six games, rookie edge rusher Sam Williams hasn't been a huge part of it, playing just 21% of the team's defensive snaps (87). Williams has shown flashes in his limited opportunities but hadn't had that one breakout performance so far in 2022. […]
The Dallas Cowboys are having an excellent season defensively. However, during the first six games, rookie edge rusher Sam Williams hasn't been a huge part of it, playing just 21% of the team's defensive snaps (87).
Williams has shown flashes in his limited opportunities but hadn't had that one breakout performance so far in 2022. In Week 7 against the Detroit Lions, Williams cemented why he was the Cowboys' second-round pick in April.
The Lions had the ball down 10-6 with just over nine minutes left in the third quarter. After several close calls this season, Williams recorded his first career sack which eventually forced a punt three plays later.
Detroit was looking to possibly get a quick score to make things interesting late in the fourth quarter, but Williams would have none of it. The former Ole Miss Rebel made a beautiful strip sack on Jared Goff, running the ball inside the red zone, and Dak Prescott threw his first touchdown pass of the season four plays later.
One play from Williams that got Cowboys' fans and social media buzzing came with about nine minutes to play in the fourth quarter. Williams exploded down the line coming from the back side and stuffed Lions running back Justin Jackson for a two-yard loss. However, it was his WWE-style suplex, which didn't draw a penalty surprisingly, that made the play memorable.
Williams finished with three tackles (two tackles for loss), two sacks, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery. That's impressive enough, but when factoring in that Williams did this damage in just 12 reps makes it more astonishing.
Williams didn't even start playing football until his senior year of high school, and even spent time at a junior college before attending Ole Miss, which he admitted was the first time he started learning the game. His experience with the Rebels as not only an edge rusher but as someone who could take on guards on the interior made him an early Day 2 selection.
The next step was getting Cowboys' defensive coordinator Dan Quinn to work his magic, someone who Williams bonded with during the draft process. So far this season, Williams has confirmed his ability to rush from the perimeter and cause problems, but he's also showing improvement when it comes to setting the edge and being an effective run defender, a critical component when it comes to developing defensive ends on the professional level.
Williams still has a ways to go, but if his trajectory keeps pointing up, the Cowboys will have another valuable asset on defense, which is already one of the NFL's best.
Feature image via Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports
