The Aaron Williams Pick
by J2 on Aug 3, 2011 9:45 AM EDT
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PrintAaron Williams was the 34th pick in the 2011 NFL draft. The Bills had a whole day to re-watch tape of Williams and make their decision on picking him so you know that they liked him as a player.
There are other things about the Williams pick though that make me very excited about him as a player - he's a great blend of need and talent at corner. He was projected to go late first round so by all accounts those projections were right and the Bills not only got great value, but also a potentially great player
Heading into the draft the Bills had McKelvin, McGee and Reggie Corner as our corner backs. Florence was going to test the Free Agent market so the Bills couldn't even field a dime defense at that point. Clearly CB was a major need - there was no guarantee that Florence would resign with the Bills. Whether you think that the Bills drafted for need or not with this pick you cannot deny the lack of players at the position.
I think there were 3 reasons why the Bills took Williams in no particular order:
- He's a good player - he's physical and smart. He jams effective and he's effective in stopping the run - i'll get to why the former is so important - especially in our division.
- To help stop the run - he'll stick his nose in there and stuff RBs - he's got good instincts and using his size as an advantage. You'll see a noticeable difference in our run defense just because of his presence - he's very effective in that department.
- Tom Brady - to me -this is why he was drafted:
You can argue one way or the other that you have to beat the Pats and/or the Jets to win the AFCE - obviously you have to beat both of them but Brady is clearly, but a significant margin, the best QB in our division. So IMO, the Pats are the team to beat.
Tom Brady uses the short passing game more than any any other throw by a considerable margin. In 2010 66.85% of Brady's passes were throws of less than 10 yards with 359 attempts out of 537 total passing attempts - courtesy of Pro Football Focus. The next closest QB on that list is Drew Brees at 62.81% - that's a huge gap between the 2. Think about it - almost 70% of Brady's passes are less than 10 yards - enter Aaron Williams.
Williams is excellent at jamming receivers and defending the short area of a defense - whether it's in the passing game or the running game. That's his niche - he's an excellent short area player. So while he's effective in the run game he's also got the ability to disrupt the short area passing game - clearly something the Pats run constantly.
When reading the PFF article and going over the elite QBs you see that Brady, Brees and Manning all have over 60% of their passes going 10 yards or less. Stands good a reason as any to have an excellent, or maybe the best, short area CB in the draft on your team does it not? While people tend to focus in on Williams ability to stuff the run I think his ability to disrupt and impact the short passing game was just a much of a factor into his selection than anything.
From a philosophy point of view you have a CB in Williams that disrupts and hopefully dominants his side of the field in the short passing game making QBs a) hold the ball longer and b) throw further down the field. This should help our pass rush have more time to get to the QB and it should allow players like Byrd create more turnovers because of said pressure and more opportunities when the ball is in the air.
The Aaron Williams pick was a great blend of stopping the run game and helping make our pass defense better than it was last year - overall - a very smart draft pick for the Bills.
Just another great fan opinion shared on the pages of BuffaloRumblings.com.
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I thought this pick was awesome.
And he seems to be making quite the impression so far in TC. I think this kids going to be something special. Especially with the unknown of what youre going to get on every play with McKelvin. McGees injury past… by the end of the year Williams could be our number 1 CB.
Now attending the Univ. of Hockey.
by bflo on Aug 3, 2011 10:00 AM EDT reply actions 1 recs
Great post!
Loved this pick draft day, and from the reports I’m hearing, I love it even more. To add to your post, he should be a factor in goal line situations against tall receivers or tight ends.
"Sit down and watch my Buffalo Bills destroy your Kingdome" - Abayarde
Buddy has done alot of things right through the draft
Thats for sure.
I have no qualms about this guys ability to judge talent.
Spiller should be great, Troup, I dunno, Carrington seems to be getting it, Moats and Batten seem to be in favour with the coaching staff, couple that with his UDFA’s last year and he hit on almost every pick.
This Year it seems Dareus and Williams are causing quite a stir among those attending camp. Too bad Shep got hurt, havent heard to much on Hairston or Searcy, Johnny White is getting some attention and Chris White Jasper and the other DB I have no idea
But if Buddy continues to git on this many picks it won’t be long, now if he could just sign so FA, hahahahaha
"Big Gulps Eh, Well See ya later" - Lloyd Christmas
" You Gus ready To Let The Dogs Out" "What?" " you Know, Who Let the dogs out rough rough rogh rough" - Zack Galifinakis - The Hangover
troup
what do you not know about troup… i dont know why everyone is high on carrington and not even consider troup… the biggest thing about troup is his competitive nature… he got so much more powerful this offseason he is showing it in TC so far… he is able to beat wood more than a few times… i think he is going to make the first team one way or other.. maybe he will develop into DE to step in for edwards or williams moves to DE to make room for troup at NT
by statcruncher on Aug 3, 2011 10:42 AM EDT up reply actions 2 recs
You think Buddy did what?!
Ok, Lie down, elevate your feet, keep a cold compress on your head and this will pass quickly. (sarcasm) :-)
Although at times I have personally wondered what Buddy was doing I have publicly given him 100% benefit of the doubt because he has forgotten more about football than I will ever know.
"Being a Bills Fan is a Tough Job for Tough People…" – Luther6
I’m strongly considering a #23 uni purchase, he is my favorite rookie this year by a big margin (Shep=#2). I just wish there was more room for him in the starting lineup.
MAYBE this will break the mold , we need to come to play sunday and this year we will not SURRENDER TO KNOW ONE THIS IS BUFFALOOO Godzilla nation
-abayarde
he will see the field. his run support is very good, he has the strength to jam guys effectively, and hes got potential to be an explosive blitzer. williams could be a real playmaker and i think hes gonna be squeezing leodis out of the lineup by the end of the season (if mcgee and florence stay healthy).
As your eluding too, We needed Florence back for this all to take shape.
Right now we are assuming this to be his role. His scouting report indicates that he is best served within 5- 15 yards from the LOS. His weakness would be after that 15 yard mark. Seeing this was a major weakness of our defense we can only hope this assessment is accurate because we definately need those plays defended. The question is how do we get him on the field, in what formation, in place of who and will it create another weakness in another area. Hence the importantance of retaining Florence. I agree with this post, but am still holding the jury out to see some games with enough patients to allow it to come together. I still view this pick as a make or break pick of 2010. Reports are good, waiting for more postiive stuff since he got kicked in the head last sunday. He was shaken up, I want to see him bounce back from that and show resiliency. Key pick here with Williams, let’s hope he can be used successfully they way you list. I believe it will only show his true worth on the team today.
YOU ARE OUT of you kuku fufu mine craker laker Flaber baber FUNKI chunki brain. WE want to winn every year -- abayarde
we were bad beyond 15
because of our pass rush… our pass rush is much better even without williams jamming at the LOC… when we had schobel, our DBs had 28 INTs in 2009… i am sure we will do somewhere between 10 and 28… maybe 16 which is good…
i think williams can come in at 3rd and short against the run…
by statcruncher on Aug 3, 2011 10:46 AM EDT up reply actions
The funny thing was I heard reports that neither Nix nor Chan was specifically pulling for Williams. Nix wanted somebody else and Gailey wanted somebody different from that, so because of the disagreement, they just went with their draft board. So far it sounds like it was a great pick.
Perception is reality; but if your perception is off, you live in your own reality. -- perkispower
The funny thing was I heard reports that neither Nix nor Chan was specifically pulling for Williams.
nope – they reviewed film on him all morning and were convinced they wanted him. I knew by about 1:00PM that day he was going to be the pick. Go check out the 2nd day thread if you want confirmation. :)
by J2 on Aug 3, 2011 11:16 AM EDT up reply actions
I can’t remember if it was you, but I remember hearing on Day 1 of the draft that said person had a source claiming Aaron Williams was the pick if available.
by NordicBillsfan on Aug 3, 2011 11:31 AM EDT up reply actions
?? All I’m saying is that I thought I remembered hearing this. People were upset about the pick and the reasoning I heard given was what I stated above. I’m not claiming it’s true or that it happened exactly the way I remember, but I remember hearing this about the Williams pick.
Perception is reality; but if your perception is off, you live in your own reality. -- perkispower
I’m a fan of williams as the pick, but I’m not sure I’m a fan of how he was picked. If no other team was going to take him at that spot, we could have traded for an extra pick and still landed him. If I could ask Nix one question about this draft, it would be which team he thought was going to pick Williams next. However, as said, I’m a fan (as of now), and I agree that stopping Brady had a lot to do with it. I guess we couldn’t find the talent at QB or OL to justify weakening the secondary.
"This is what happens Larry!, This is what happens! "-Walter Sobchak" "Did we give up when the germans bombed pearl harbor!!??"-John Belushi
by BigEasyBillsKrewe on Aug 3, 2011 3:05 PM EDT up reply actions
would be which team he thought was going to pick Williams next.
he was projected to go mid to late 1st round
by J2 on Aug 3, 2011 3:12 PM EDT up reply actions
I get that
Projected to be picked somewhere has nothing to do with the other 31 team’s needs. I don’t have the draft order in front of me, so let’s say the next team to NEED a DB picked 5 spots after the Bills. In that case Nix would have a few teams he could trade with to get more picks, and STILL get Williams. (something really good GMs do very well) That was my point. As far as projections, those have never been very accurate. (unless you’re talking top 5) Nix is afraid to try such things, and I think the team suffers for it.
"This is what happens Larry!, This is what happens! "-Walter Sobchak" "Did we give up when the germans bombed pearl harbor!!??"-John Belushi
by BigEasyBillsKrewe on Aug 4, 2011 1:36 AM EDT up reply actions
Nix is afraid to try such things, and I think the team suffers for it.
Maybe, but this is a bad example of it. Aaron Williams wouldn’t have lasted long enough for us to trade back.
They can kill you, but the legalities of eating you are quite a bit dicier.
by cjf4 on Aug 4, 2011 8:12 AM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
My point is, I’m wondering if Nix was thinking that. If he was, which team would have grabbed him, in his opinion. If he wasn’t thinking about that, well, that would be my problem. Anywho, I am glad we ended up with Williams.
"This is what happens Larry!, This is what happens! "-Walter Sobchak" "Did we give up when the germans bombed pearl harbor!!??"-John Belushi
by BigEasyBillsKrewe on Aug 4, 2011 3:29 PM EDT up reply actions
as nix has said in the past
as well as the mentality of many General Managers in the NFL… if you have a guy you like, and he is available, you pick him. some may see it as a reach, or less of a value, but buddy doesn’t employ that mentality. he feels, if you think you like a guy, and he will help your team, you pick him. moving back those few spots, doesn’t necessarily give you much in value, and that isn’t to say that once you did move back, someone else couldn’t move up behind you. this seems like you are attempting to show that we lacked value, but he was already a value as a late first round selection by MOST teams standards.
poor man's Patrick Peterson
in comparison of this draft. when comparing the two top CBs in Amukamara and PP, Aaron williams was the next tallest CB with similar measurables. We were fortunate to get him, he was almost a luxury pick since we know shepp had a second round rating… and as he has demonstrated already- he has mad ball skills.
im confused
Aaron Williams is a VERY different player than Peterson. MUCH less athletic but good in the press- more of a Prince style of CB.
Secondly, Sheppard did not carry a 2nd round grade. Gaily said he didn’t know that he would have put a 3rd round grade on him had he not had the opportunity to coach him in the senior bowl.
Aaron Williams went where he was projected to
Late first early second. He’s a good player, with average measurables, and great instincts. He might end up being a FS down the road though.
The player I would like least at #9 would be my sister’s cat, Captain Creamsicle. She does have a great work ethic and agility, but I’m really concerned that at 9 lbs., she’s too small to play safety in the NFL. She also bites way too often on play action and is easily distracted by someone waving string in the crowd. Lastly, her wonderlic score was pretty awful, answering "meow meow meow" for most of the questions- Dr. Brackish Okun
I understand that, I was just kind of confused by “poor mans patrick peterson” and “shepp had a second round rating”…. Saying someone is a poor mans version of someone else is saying that they are very similar players, one is just not as good or less flashy. Peterson and Williams play very differently.
And some teams may have had a 2nd round grade of Kelvin, but if Gailey said he was only so comfortable taking him in the 3rd b/c he coached him in the senior bowl I kind of doubt it…
Ahhh
I got what your saying
The player I would like least at #9 would be my sister’s cat, Captain Creamsicle. She does have a great work ethic and agility, but I’m really concerned that at 9 lbs., she’s too small to play safety in the NFL. She also bites way too often on play action and is easily distracted by someone waving string in the crowd. Lastly, her wonderlic score was pretty awful, answering "meow meow meow" for most of the questions- Dr. Brackish Okun
similar in size
and measurables. and wasn’t rated as high as PP. so a “poor mans” tall cornerback with speed was all i meant. don’t need to jump all over my case for referencing another individual in the draft. i certainly could have compared him to any number of players, but the fact is, in this draft, there were 3 first round corners, and AW was rated lower, but when comparing his cone numbers, bench numbers, and size, all three were similar. PP has the potential to be a Charles Woodson type, which obviously means his potential is through the roof. that certainly doesn’t mean that AW doesn’t have the potential to be a great player as well.
by a measurables standard
don’t get me wrong, he isn’t peterson. but if you watched game changers, he is definitely better than amukamara. if you don’t agree, that is ok… but the prince has some trouble in run support, and he has less body control. in fact, AW has body control to rival some of the best receivers in the league, as a rookie.
additionally… Shepp was certainly a second round grade, but feeling was he was a small reach that early in the second. they decided to trust their board, as many of the people in the room were happy with Shepp, but felt that AW was too good a value to pass up. trusting NIx’s board landed him both players. you don’t have to believe me… but one of my best friends knows a coach who was in the war room (who i refuse to identify, as i would hate to put his job in jeopardy for having been cool enough to inform us) , and this is just how it is.
sorry
if you felt i was “jumping all over you”… I was more confused than anything and I guess just wasn’t understanding what you were trying to say.. That’s cool stuff though, info like that is better than the stuff coaches give to the media
no worries
i understand the skepticism, and really, as i said, they were ELATED to get both guys. but AW’s talent was their focus the whole morning of their second day, which made the decision easy. Making a value selection, rather than reaching, is both the staff’s preference as well as the fan’s too. that said- it was like christmas. hahaha. they got each and every gift they coulda wanted in the first two days, as they did consider PP if he was gonna be there, but truly wanted Dareus, who most teams had rated #1 overall. i think the comparison i was attempting to make was a bigger, fast corner with ball skills whose talent was too much to pass at the position of their selections, in addition to their comparable measurables in many categories.
info like that is better than the stuff coaches give to the media
yeah- obviously we felt awesome to know some of the thought process for this particular draft, regardless of when we heard (which was early for the earlier picks. we didn’t really “know” about the day 3 guys, but i personally was pulling for hairston, and stoked about the NC guys.) Obviously things can or could have changed any time before the card is put in, so there was of course a chance things went differently, but the focus that day for them was ALL Williams, and i personally was stoked about it, as i feel our roster is lacking in true man to man corners who are effective in press, and have the range that he can have. He might be a corner, a slot or a safety, but the one thing he certainly is, is an UPGRADE. : )
So what your saying is Trent Edwards just needs another chance
just not 99% of his throws less than 10 yards. Haha
It seems like Uncle Jesse and Cooter have a plan. I wish Waylon Jennings was still around to be narrator.
Great post J2!
Thanks for the info. Interesting perspective.
+1
"There is not a loser in this room." Marv Levy.
by SERGEANT MAJOR THOR on Aug 3, 2011 7:41 PM EDT reply actions
Reading now ;-)
In the year two thousaaaaaaand.
In the year two thousAAAAAAND!
by TheAfghanTwilight on Aug 4, 2011 10:35 AM EDT reply actions
lol – thanks TAT – was just interesting and it kind of hit me at one point after reading the Brady article on how much that area of the field gets so much play.
by J2 on Aug 4, 2011 11:05 AM EDT up reply actions
Brady’s stats are amazing, considering how he plays. And i’ll be happy if Williams pans out and they drafted him based on this short-game analysis. Seems to fit!
In the year two thousaaaaaaand.
In the year two thousAAAAAAND!
by TheAfghanTwilight on Aug 4, 2011 12:11 PM EDT up reply actions
I guess I never thought about how much the short area of the field gets passed on so much. I know i’ve always thought Peyton was the better of the QBs because he pushes the ball down the field much more but I didn’t realize how much Brady threw in the short areas.
solid pick up as far as i’m concerned
by J2 on Aug 4, 2011 11:04 AM EDT up reply actions
really?
I didn’t realize how much Brady threw in the short areas.
how? have you not been watching them the last decade? it has been basically get the snap, and throw the ball two yards in front of him because the crossing patterns clear the underneath. that has been their MO for basically his entire tenure. Sure they mix in some verticals, but that is because BB is smart enough to recognize that as the defense comes forward to defend the short area routes, the deeper routes become available.
no question
but really, his greatest attribute, aside from knowing where to go with it, is his release. but also, i think that it is easy to know that you are throwing to the slot receiver when the only person near him (welker) is a MLB who can’t keep up… i mean, i would NEVER EVER play cover 2 against tom brady, and yet what did we run for years hahaha. it is like accepting a man to man match up where your defender has no chance and you know it. that is just dumb. even in man coverage, you need to cover the slot receiver with a corner if you hope there is any chance, and really, with a 2 second release, it is tough to cover with anyone.
agree.
he is a product of an excellent system, and a solid skill set. he has an incredibly fast release. that said- dareus has ability to get there in under 3 seconds, as demonstrated @ sports science- so i can’t wait to see brady’s reaction when he catches that snap and has a huge defender right in his face haha cuz we know he can’t run hahaha
Great read - rec'd
I’ve liked the pick since the get-go. You can never have enough quality DBs especially this day & age where the game has become a pass-happy QB league. I agree with your assessment of his value in the short areas. Specifically in the running game, I found one of our biggest weaknesses was runs to the outsides and I think Williams will really help in this area.
Good post buddy!
Rebuilding a team properly takes time and patience
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