Meshak Williams: Video Highlights for the Former Kansas State DE

Meshak Williams was a defensive end at Kansas State, but he projects as an outside linebacker pass-rushing specialist in the NFL.

He is a bit undersized at 6'2" and 247 pounds, but he is quick off the ball and has a nonstop motor. Run situations will be hard for him, but he could be a nice pickup on the third day of the draft. 

Zone-Read Recognition

The zone-read offense has gained popularity thanks to mobile quarterbacks in the NFL. Professional teams have sought advice from college coaches on how to defend the play.

Kansas State faced a fast Oregon team who ran the zone-read in the 2013 Fiesta Bowl.

Williams, playing left defensive end, slides horizontally down the line of scrimmage, not giving Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota a running lane and forcing him to hand the ball off to the running back.

Williams finishes the play by squeezing down and tackling Oregon running back Byron Marshall for a minimal gain.

Quick at the Snap

Williams (No. 42) lined up as the right defensive end for the Wildcats in white.

He is lined up against Lane Johnson, Oklahoma's left tackle and a projected top-10 pick in the NFL draft.

Williams explodes off the line of scrimmage at the snap of the ball and dips his shoulders to gain the edge on Johnson.

If not for a quick release by Sooners QB Landry Jones, this would be a sack.

Run Recognition

One of the tougher assignments for a defensive end is to quickly switch gears from pass-rushing to run-stopping.

In the game against TCU, Williams, working as the left defensive left end at the top of the line of scrimmage, has to do just that.

TCU right tackle Aviante Collins (No. 69) leaves Williams unblocked and heads for the inside linebacker. Initially, a defensive player will think the run play is going away from him if something like that happens. The Horned Frogs, however, send tight end Bryson Burtnett (No. 86) from the left side to the right to block Williams. Instead of a run to the left, TCU has a counter to the right.

Williams stays home and does not chase the action. He is able to fight off the cut-block attempt by Burtnett and make the tackle.

Quickness to the Quarterback

It is easy to say Williams gets this sack against Kansas because the offensive right tackle and guard confuse their blocking assignments, but Williams' quickness deserves some credit, too.

Williams, lined up at left defensive end at the top of the line of scrimmage, slants inside the tackle as the left outside linebacker blitzes off the edge.

The right tackle goes after the outside defender, passing off Williams to the guard.

The guard first checks the middle linebacker, but by the time he tries to work back to Williams, No. 42 in purple is past him. 

The blocking assignment helped, but Williams' quickness was the real reason for the sack.

Speed from the Outside

A sack is not the only way a pass-rusher causes havoc. Just getting pressure can help the secondary by forcing an ill-advised throw from the quarterback.

In the first quarter of the game against Baylor in 2011, Williams blows past the left tackle and forces Robert Griffin III to scramble to his right and throw an incomplete pass.

Thanks to a nice pickup from the running back, RGIII was able to avoid the sack, but Williams did his job by disrupting the pass play.

As pointed out by the announcers, if RGIII has an accurate pass, that could be a touchdown. Because the Baylor QB had to throw on the run and across his body, it was an incomplete pass.

Hustle and Determination

As the right defensive end, Williams shows hustle and determination.

Even though he is initially blocked well by Texas' left tackle, Williams continued to fight and ended up with a crucial sack during the Big XII Championship Game.

That type of nonstop motor is crucial to earning a roster spot in the NFL.

Tackling Ability

Tackling is fundamental for a good defensive player, but it is a very difficult thing to do. Critics claim there is too much hitting and not enough tackling in football, both in colleges and the pros.

In this play against TCU in 2012, Williams is on the defensive right side of the play across from the offensive left tackle. He shoots the tackle-guard gap and is in the backfield in the blink of an eye.

His athleticism allows him to wrap up both the quarterback and the running back before finally taking down the running back.

Pursuit

Most plays are not run directly at a defender. When the play is away, the defensive player needs to use a correct angle and pursue the the ball-carrier.

In this play against West Virginia, Williams is the right defensive end. He pushes up field in a pass rush, making sure mobile quarterback Geno Smith is not allowed to scramble for a first down.

Smith dumps the ball in the flats to a wide receiver.

Williams has to disengage from the left tackle and run toward the sideline, gauging where the runner will end up. 

He does this perfectly in this play, holding the Mountaineers to a minimal gain.