New York Jets defensive tackle Quinnen Williams is getting the respect he deserves.
ESPN NFL Insider Jeremy Fowler released his annual defensive tackle top 10 rankings on Tuesday, July 8. Williams finished as the No. 5 DT in the NFL based on a panel of league execs, coaches, and scouts.
“He’s a guy you have to dedicate a game plan to,” an anonymous NFL coordinator told Fowler. “One of the most complete interior guys in the game.”
“Williams has been one of the constants amid persistent Jets changes. He’s going on three straight Pro Bowls and has 23.5 sacks during that span, though 12 of them came in 2022,” Fowler explained.
“True three-down player — talented inside rusher who is fully capable against the run,” an anonymous NFL personnel staffer told ESPN via Fowler.
The Former Alabama Product Fell in Rankings Compared to Last Year
Being a top-five defensive tackle is great in 2025, but last year’s rankings placed Williams even higher.
Quinnen was ranked as the second-best defensive tackle in football in 2024. He received votes from the panel as the top defensive tackle in the league, but didn’t receive enough to overtake Kansas City Chiefs superstar Chris Jones last year.
“Really good first step, and his size and athleticism overwhelms guys,” an anonymous NFL scouting director told Fowler on July 9, 2024. “And he plays very hard, which is sometimes unique for guys at the position. Doesn’t really have any weakness.”
Last year, the league didn’t think Williams had any weaknesses. This year, some members of the league feel differently.
“One complaint from an AFC exec is that Williams ‘gets pushed around in the run game’ at times, but that’s nitpicking an elite player. One AFC scout said Williams didn’t have much help around him inside, prompting defenses to key on him. He also battled through a hamstring issue,” Fowler revealed.
This past season, Williams finished with 18 quarterback hits, six sacks, eight tackles for loss, and was named a Pro Bowler.
Fowler described him as “solid yet unspectacular in most categories, including pass rush win rate (13.4%), incompletions credited (16), and quarterback hits (18).”
A Consistent Theme Is Revealing Itself for Jets in ESPN Rankings
Leading up to training camp, Fowler will continue to release his annual positional rankings at every position.
So far, we have gone through two days of rankings: the running backs and the defensive tackles. A consistent theme?
Members of the Jets are plummeting on these lists. At least Williams’ fall was only three spots; the same can’t be said for Breece Hall, who was also ranked No. 2 in the league, but the floor completely bottomed out, and he ended up off the list completely.
That shouldn’t be surprising. Heading into 2024, the Jets were not only in the playoff conversation but the Super Bowl conversation. The team was credited as having one of the best rosters in the league. That proved itself true according to Fowler’s annual positional rankings in 2024.
However, after a disappointing five-win season where the team transformed into a dysfunctional mess, reality is setting in. If several of these players want to flip the narrative and rise in the 2026 rankings, they have to perform and start winning games to earn that respect.
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