SEC Football Top 150 Players: No. 77, Jesse Williams, Alabama DL

The SEC Blog will be counting down the top 150 players in the SEC every day, concluding on Aug. 30, at the start of the college football regular season.

77. Jesse Williams, No. 54, Alabama Defensive Lineman

2011 stats: 24 tackles, four tackles for loss, 0.5 sacks

Strengths

Williams was thrown into the fire last season, starting at defensive end in defensive coordinator Kirby Smart's 3-4 defense. The 6'4", 320-pounder transferred from Western Arizona Community College prior to last spring, and immediately solidified a place on Alabama's starting defensive line. 

Weaknesses

He's still relatively raw, since he didn't start playing football until age 15. That didn't seem to be an issue last season, but as he transitions to the nose tackle spot this year, his inexperience with the game is something to keep an eye on.

2012 Prediction

Williams is arguably the most important piece of Alabama's rebuilt defense. If he can be a space-eater and take up double teams up front, everything else on the defense will click behind him. He obviously has the size and skill to be a star at the nose tackle position, and he will do just that in his senior season.

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