Seahawks’ Leonard Williams earns No. 1 spot in ranking of NFL defensive tackles
Leonard Williams was ranked the top defensive tackle in the NFL, according to an ESPN ranking based on surveys from league executives, coaches and scouts.
ESPN said the rankings are “not a five-year projection or a career achievement award.” Rather, they are meant to reflect who the best players at each position are now. The defensive tackle rankings were published Thursday as a part of the rollout schedule. Tight end and offensive tackle rankings are up next.
Williams, 32, had never made it into the top five of this list, which began in 2020. Last year, he was ranked sixth. Under his name in the No. 1 spot, Williams was described as “an absolute nightmare to block” and praised for maximizing his contributions over the past two years.
“He was the most important player on that Super Bowl team,” a quote from an unnamed NFL coordinator said under the ranking. “He’s the total package.”
“You can line him up in front of the right tackle, the right guard, the center, the left guard, the left tackle – he can beat them all,” a veteran NFC defensive coach said. “He’s always had game-changing ability, and he’s putting it all together now. And those around him are making plays because of it too.”
To put together the rankings, ESPN surveyed league executives, coaches and scouts to give their top 10 players at each position. They compiled dozens of interviews, including “research and film study” and conducted follow-up interviews.
According to the rankings, “more than 70 voters submitted a ballot on at least one position, and in many cases all positions.”
While he ultimately landed in the top spot, Williams’ lowest career ranking was eighth. The Titans’ Jeffery Simmons and the Eagles’ Jalen Carter placed second and third. Their lowest rankings were eight and nine, respectively.
The Giants traded Williams to the Seahawks in October 2023. He signed a three-year deal with the Seahawks in 2024 that reportedly pays an average of $21.5 million per season. Williams has been a force on the Seahawks’ defensive line since coming to Seattle, compiling 22 sacks over 43 games, including seven last season.
In addition to winning the Super Bowl this year, Williams and his wife, Hailey, welcomed their first child in March.
Williams is among the older defensive tackles playing in the league. However, the Kansas City Chiefs’ Chris Jones, who is also 32, made the list in the No. 4 spot. (If you want to get into the specifics, Williams is the oldest one on the list by about two weeks. Williams was born on June 20, 1994, and Jones was born on July 3 of the same year).
While the Seahawks’ Byron Murphy II didn’t make it into the top 10, he was at the top of the “honorable mention” list with a quote from an unnamed veteran NFL defensive quote that read: “He’s so explosive. Teams double him, and he can break through it.”