Jets' Leonard Williams Making Early Case for Defensive Rookie of the Year

The New York Jets churn out talented defensive linemen like The Beatles churned out No. 1 hits.

John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr make a worthy comparison for Jets defensive linemen Muhammad Wilkerson, Sheldon Richardson, Damon Harrison and Leonard Williams. One of them is just not the same without the other three.

That being said, Williams' arrival in New York has completely changed the complexion of the Jets defensive line as the USC product has quickly built a case as the league's top defensive rookie in 2015.

To be fair, Williams was not an instant hit. By his own admission, Williams' outing in Week 1 left a little to be desired. He notched three quarterback pressures, according to stats website Pro Football Focus, but he didn't maximize his otherworldly potential in that game.

"I don't feel like I played to my best abilities, to be honest," Williams said, according to Brian Costello of the New York Post. "I think part of it is just conditioning. I feel like in college we did a lot of conditioning. It's kind of like up to myself now to take care of that on my own, like after practice."

Whether it was conditioning or something else, Williams got his bearings over the course of the next three games as he punished quarterbacks and stuffed running backs at or behind the line of scrimmage. 

Against the Miami Dolphins, Williams notched five quarterback hits and four hurries, terrorizing quarterback Ryan Tannehill once every five times he dropped back to throw (nine total pressures, 48 dropbacks). That nightmarish performance catapulted him to No. 5 on Pro Football Focus' list of the most productive pass-rushing 3-4 defensive ends.

If that was a sign of things to come, Williams' opponents are in for a rough ride in 2015.

With eight run stops on 83 plays in run defense, Williams is stuffing a running back for little or no gain nearly 10 percent of the time the opponent runs the ball. That's the eighth-highest percentage in the NFL among 3-4 defensive ends.

Team him up with other talented defensive linemen like Wilkerson, and you have the recipe for one of the NFL's most dominant defensive lines.

Typically, 3-4 defensive ends are lauded for their ability to soak up blockers and allow the linebackers to make plays. Williams has shown that ability, and then some, by dominating at the line of scrimmage to allow his teammates to wrap up ball-carriers unfettered by offensive linemen.

This is a Jets defense that is allowing just 3.8 yards per carry to its opponents, which puts it at No. 7 in the NFL through Week 5. The defense has done it without the presence of All-Pro defensive lineman Sheldon Richardson, who missed the first four games of the season due to a suspension.

Richardson makes his return in Week 6 against the Washington Redskins, so the best is yet to come for the Jets defense. But Richardson's absence has arguably been the reason that Williams has factored so heavily into the defensive game plan early in the season. After all, Williams was a luxury pick, given the Jets' enormous level of talent on the defensive line before his arrival.

Williams has played 218 defensive snaps through four games, but could his playing time decline with Richardson's return? Jets head coach Todd Bowles doesn't seem to think so.

For starters, Richardson's absence could give way to some rust for the third-year pro. He last played on August 29 against the New York Giants, so by the time he returns to the field, it will have been nearly two full months since his most recent game.

Richardson could see more time than expected, though, if Williams isn't back to 100 percent after spraining his ankle against the Dolphins in London. Williams said his ankle is fine, according to Darryl Slater of NJ Advance Media. The rookie defensive lineman practiced in full on Monday, so barring a setback, he should be good to go for Sunday.

What's crazy about all this, though, is that if Williams continues to play at the level he's shown through four games, he could still make a case as Defensive Rookie of the Year, even if his playing time is reduced with the return of Richardson.

Unless otherwise noted, all quotes obtained via team news release.