Trent Williams – Page 31 – Syndication Server

Three former Sooners land on ‘101 best players in the NFL’ list

Which three former Sooners land on Touchdown Wire’s ‘101 best players in the NFL’ list?

There is no exact science when digging into the NFL’s biggest playmakers. Household names or the highest-paid are not always the most productive on the field. Difference makers come at every position and as the 2021 NFL season approaches, Touchdown Wire compiled a ranking of the top 101 players in the NFL today. For the list, they stuck to players mentioned on previous listings to avoid loading up on skill position players.

Three former Oklahoma Sooners landed on the compilation: offensive tackle Trent Willaims at No. 18, quarterback Baker Mayfield at No. 30, and tight end Mark Andrews at No. 84. Here is a breakdown of the elite Oklahoma products.

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Former Washington star Trent Williams named the top offensive tackle in the NFL

ESPN named Trent Williams the top offensive tackle in the NFL. While it’s disappointing for WFT fans, the franchise is in outstanding shape.

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Trent Williams spent the first 10 years of his NFL career with the Washington Football Team. His final year was marred due to a standoff with the front office, specifically former team president Bruce Allen.

When Ron Rivera took over as head coach, one of his primary objectives was to resolve the situation between the team and Williams.

By the 2020 NFL draft, Rivera dealt Williams to the San Francisco 49ers, and his outstanding career in D.C. was over.

While one can always wonder if Rivera was actually serious about retaining Williams or just wanting to move on from the entire situation, we may truly never know. But Williams proved in his first season in San Francisco he was still an elite offensive tackle.

That one season led to a historic payday for Williams — even at 32-years-old, impressive for any position outside of quarterback.

ESPN is continuing its series naming the top 10 players at every position. So, it was no surprise when Trent Williams was its selection as the No. 1 offensive tackle in the NFL.

“He’s that player O-linemen are sharing videos about,” said an NFL offensive line coach. “You could easily pull out 20 plays from every game where he’s dominant.”

“He’s been on a whole different level the last five years,” said an AFC offensive coach. “Dominant in every facet, runs in space, massive individual, more devastating on his blocks, plays violently and can drive a person back flat-footed.”

No Washington player made the top 10 or received votes. Don’t worry, Washington fans. While the team didn’t have an elite player at offensive tackle last season, it ended the year having one of the best offensive lines in football.

It was nice seeing Trent Williams bet on himself — and win. But things in Washington are better now than they ever were in his 10 years with the franchise.

In the end, both sides came out just fine.

49ers 2020 trade for Trent Williams will pay big dividends in 2021

The San Francisco 49ers trade for LT Trent Williams might be most impactful in 2021.

The 49ers already pulled off a heist when they acquired Trent Williams on Day 3 of the 2020 NFL draft for a 2020 fifth-round pick and a 2021 third-round selection. His play last season showed he was still one of the top two left tackles in the game according to a list put together by the NFL Wire’s Doug Farrar, and that could wind up paying off more in 2021 than it did last year.

While San Francisco aims to shore up its offensive front, there was a small question mark about whether Williams could return to the elite tier he resided in before missing all of 2019 due in part to a cancerous growth on his skull. He answered that question and then some with a dominant 2020 showing.

From Farrar:

Williams allowed three sacks in his first four games back in action, but gave up just one after that, along with three quarterback hits and nine quarterback hurries from Week 5 on. Williams has been a superlative pass-protector for years, but what sets him apart is his movement skills and commitment to demolition in the open field.

That ability to get out and run block may be key in unlocking rookie quarterback Trey Lance whenever he becomes the starter. Keeping the young signal caller upright will be crucial, but Williams’ movement gives the 49ers an added layer of deception that can be essential in getting defenses off balance.

San Francisco struggled through injury issues last year and Williams’ stellar play went for naught in a 5-11 season in which they started three different quarterbacks, and ran through a slew of different skill position players.

Now they’re aiming to get back on track in 2021 while they simultaneously develop a rookie signal caller. Williams had a chance last year to show he’s still one of the two best left tackles in the NFL. This year will be his chance to show just how impactful he can be.

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Cardinals to have 6 games vs. top 4 tackles in NFL

Arizona Cardinals pass rusher Chandler Jones will have his hands full against four of the leagues 11 best tackles this year.

The Arizona Cardinals have one of the best tackles in the NFL in D.J. Humphries. He ranks seventh in the NFL, according to Touchdown Wire’s Doug Farrar.

The Cardinals also will face a number of the top tackles in the league on their 2021 NFL schedule.

They face four of the top 11 in six different games.

Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Sub scribe on Apple podcasts or Spotify.

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The NFL’s top 11 offensive tackles

Offensive tackles are among the NFL’s most important players, and here are the 11 best in the business.

How much does an offensive tackle matter in today’s NFL? As is the case with a lot of linemen on both sides of the ball, the true effect of a great offensive tackle can really be seen in his absence. Let’s take the Kansas City Chiefs as one of 2020’s most compelling examples. In the 2019 postseason, right tackle Mitchell Schwartz came very close to pitching a series of perfect games. On the way to Kansas City’s win over the 49ers in Super Bowl LIV, Schwartz had 142 pass-blocking reps in three playoff games, and allowed no sacks, no quarterback hits, and just one quarterback hurry. It was a highly important performance for a right-handed offense.

Fast forward to the 2020 season, and Schwartz missing all but the first six games with a back injury. Schwartz allowed two sacks, one quarterback hits, and five quarterback hurries in his 242 pass-blocking reps, and things really fell apart after he got hurt. Kansas City’s sack rate went from 2.7% to 3.8% without Schwartz, its blown block pressure rate went from 13.5% to 15.5%. Most notably, without Schwartz and left tackle Eric Fisher in Super Bowl LV against Tampa Bay’s malevolent front, Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes was pressured on 31 of his 56 dropbacks, completing just nine of 26 passes under pressure for 78 yards, no touchdowns, and an interception.

It’s one example of an NFL truism — in today’s league, if you don’t have good edge protection, your quarterback is living on borrowed time (literally and figuratively), and things will often fall apart in the worst possible moments.

Here are the 11 best offensive tackles in the NFL today.

(All metrics courtesy of Pro Football Focus and Sports Info Solutions unless otherwise indicated).

One former Oklahoma Sooner listed in PFF’s top 50 players in the NFL

According to PFF, former Oklahoma Sooners offensive tackle Trent Williams is among the 50 best players in the NFL.

Each and every year rankings come out for NFL players, such as the NFL’s top 100 voted on by players. More recently PFF50 by Pro Football Focus ranked its 50 best players in the league. The Oklahoma Sooners have plenty of former players in the NFL that could qualify but only one was ranked among the top talents in the league.

Coming right in the middle of the pack of the Pro Football Focus’ top 50 is Trent Williams at No. 24:

No offensive lineman could match the blocking highlight reel that Williams crafted in 2020. The veteran tackle was one of the most dominant run-blockers we have ever seen, earning a 91.8 PFF grade in that facet of play; he routinely buried his assigned defender to spring big runs for the 49ers’ backs and only allowed 19 total pressures in his first year back after missing the 2019 season. – Sam Monson

Williams has been a dominant force on the edge, facing off against top-tier pass rushers, since being the No. 4 overall selection in the 2010 NFL draft by the Washington Football Team. While a member of the Sooners football program, Williams was named first-team All-Big 12 in 2008 and 2009. He also became a unanimous All-American in 2009.

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Since joining the NFL, Williams was named second-team All-Pro in 2015 and selected to the Pro Bowl eight times (2012-2018, 2020). Williams took off the 2019 season before seeking a trade from Washington, ultimately landing in San Francisco with the 49ers. He recently inked a new deal to keep him in the Bay area.

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PFF calls former Sooner Trent Williams the best No. 4 overall draft pick since 2006

Former Sooner Trent Williams listed as the best No. 4 draft pick since 2006.

One of the most successful former Oklahoma Sooners in the NFL doesn’t even play a skill position. Trent Williams spent the 2006-2009 seasons with the Crimson and Cream. During that time he was named to first-team All-Big 12 in 2008 and 2009. He was also named a unanimous All-American in 2009 before being selected with the No. 4 pick overall in the 2010 NFL draft. That year he joined Sam Bradford and Gerald McCoy as three of the top four picks in the draft.

He spent 2010-2019 with the Washington Football Team before being traded to the San Francisco 49ers prior to the 2020 season. He recently inked a new deal to remain in the Bay area with the Niners. From 2012-2018, Williams was named to the Pro Bowl seven times and again in 2020. He was also second-team All-Pro in the 2015 season.

Pro Football Focus highlighted the former Sooner as one of the best draft picks since 2006 at particular slots. For Williams, he was the best at the No. 4 spot.

No. 4 Overall: Trent Williams, Washington Football Team

When at his best, Williams is the gold standard at left tackle in the NFL. He’s peaked with seasons of 91.8 (2013), 92.7 (2016), and 91.9 (2020) overall grades over his career. If he continues that level of play over his contract in San Francisco, Williams will have put together a Hall of Fame resume.

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Four Sooners land on PFF’s OT rankings entering the 2021 NFL season

Four Sooners crack PFF’s Top 32 offensive tackle rankings entering the 2021 NFL season

The big guys in the trenches often get unnoticed with the spotlight going to skill positions but PFF turned attention to the protectors at the line of scrimmage. Continuing the series of 2021 NFL position rankings, offensive tackles are up next. The top 32 tackles are evaluated by PFF’s advanced database to create the compiled list of talent across the league.

Four former Oklahoma Sooners are among the group: Trent Williams, Lane Johnson, Orlando Brown Jr., and Daryl Williams. Here is a breakdown of each premiere tackle.

Trent Williams (2), San Franciso 49ers

What PFF says…

After taking a one-year hiatus in 2019, Williams returned to the field for a new squad in 2020 and looked like the same elite player. He notched a 91.8 PFF grade in San Francisco last season, leading all offensive tackles. While his pass protection was strong, it was his performance in Kyle Shanahan’s wide zone rushing attack that really solidifies his spot here. Williams earned a career-high 91.8 run-blocking grade and laid down more big-time and positively graded blocks than any other tackle in a season during the PFF era (since 2006).

What Sooners Wire says…

The 49ers gave Trent Williams a lofty six-year, $138.06 million paycheck to retain his services. The lucrative deal made Williams the highest-paid offensive lineman in NFL history. He was acquired by the 49ers last offseason following a nine-year tenure in Washington. The blindside left tackle returned to peak form in 2020 after missing the entirety of the 2019 season, earning him an appearance in his 8th Pro Bowl. If the dollar amount given to a left tackle is not testament enough, his accolades/production at the line of scrimmage sure are.

Now, let’s move to the NFC East.

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Two former Sooners make 2021 NFL All-Paid Team

Trent Williams and Lane Johnson make 2021 NFL All-Paid Team.

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The NFL compiled a list of the 2021 highest-paid players in the league at every position. Unlike a collection of Pro Bowl players or an All-Pro team, this grouping is based on compensation not solely production.

A player’s average per year (APY) was used to compare contracts and measure standing on the salary list. Two former Sooners, Trent Williams and Lane Johnson made the list. The big guys up front in the trenches often become the unsung heroes of a squad, but their pocketbooks prove their critical roles in protecting the quarterback.

All of the contract information utilized for the list is from Over The Cap and Spotrac. The cap percentages are pulled from this year’s NFL-wide cap set at $182.5 million.

LT Trent Williams

Average Per Year: $23.1 million

Full contract: Six years, $138.1 million (Signed: 2021)

2021 cash: $32.3 million

“The 49ers traded for Williams during the 2020 NFL Draft after he missed the 2019 season with Washington (the only season where he’s missed the Pro Bowl after since 2011). Williams went on to be PFF’s highest-graded overall and run-blocking offensive tackle in 2020, and San Francisco rewarded his efforts this offseason with a contract that included the highest total value, average per year and signing bonus ($30.1 million) for an offensive lineman in NFL history. However, the actual total value of the contract is inflated, especially with a $32 million base salary for a 38-year-old Williams in 2026.”

RT Lane Johnson

Average Per Year: $18 million

Full contract: Four years, $72 million (Signed: 2019)

2021 cash: $13.7 million

“Despite the disparate views on right tackles, Johnson was elite enough to be the NFL’s highest-paid offensive lineman at one point in 2019 and now ranks fifth at the position. He missed nine games in 2020 and was not selected to the Pro Bowl for the first time since the 2016 season. Jalen Hurts will hope for Johnson’s healthy return, as the Eagles allowed 65 sacks in 2020, 15 more than the next closest teams.”

Both have been the standard of success in the league for offensive line play with their leverage at the line of scrimmage in one-on-one situations. Going up against elite edge rushers, these two hold their own with a rare combination of strength, technique, and athleticism. Williams and Johnson have the best hand placement and footwork in the business that led to a lofty payday.

Here’s who Washington got with 2 picks from Trent Williams trade

The Washington Football Team picked Benjamin St-Juste in the NFL draft and finished off the Trent Williams trade.

The San Francisco 49ers on day 3 of last year’s draft shipped a 2020 fifth-round pick and a 2021 third-round choice to Washington in exchange for offensive tackle Trent Williams. They used the second of those two selections on Day 2 of the 2021 draft to close out the ripples from that trade.

Washington used the fifth-round pick last year on San Diego State center Keith Ismael. He played in eight games during his rookie season, but didn’t start a game.

The second selection wound up being the 74th overall pick this year. They stayed at that spot and snagged Minnesota cornerback Benjamin St-Juste. He’s actually a player the 49ers might’ve liked.

He has good size and physical traits, but limited experience and not a ton of college production. St-Juste would’ve fit in nicely as a project cornerback on the 49ers’ depth chart.

Given how well Williams played last year though, and that he signed a six-year contract with the 49er this offseason, it’s hard to imagine San Francisco regrets letting go of their pair of selections in exchange for the big left tackle. That’s especially true with No. 3 overall pick Trey Lance in the team’s long-term plans under center. Having Williams to protect his blindside figures to be a much better help to the 49ers than whoever they might’ve taken with those two picks.