Quincy Williams described the transition to the skilled degree as “sticking your head in a beehive.”
He went from the mid-major Murray State Racers to the NFL’s Jacksonville Jaguars.
In different phrases, a rookie realized he was immediately smaller than he as soon as was — not as quick, expert, athletic, and so on. — in comparison with everybody else.
Now, after six years within the league and coming into his fourth with the Jets, Williams has comfortably transitioned from school security to professional linebacker, and he’s having a blast.
“Oh yeah, it’s much more enjoyable, particularly when you may name out the performs and so they [the offense] are doing all these motions attempting to trick you and stuff,” Williams stated after follow Tuesday.
And it’s extra satisfying whereas being acknowledged for his work ethic, touchdown at No. 32 as the best Jet on the NFL Community’s Prime 100 Gamers of 2024 listing.
“It feels good. It simply reveals that my preparation and all the pieces I’m doing off the sector and on the sector is getting the popularity that it deserves,” Williams stated. “But it surely additionally reveals that I’m heading in the right direction and in addition what I’m doing is working.”
His instincts and talent to anticipate have improved after seeing the identical patterns on repeat, he defined.
Williams even has a contest with C.J. Mosely to see who can guess probably the most performs throughout follow. Mosely is presently beating him.
“Offense is basically the identical, they simply attempt to costume it up otherwise,” Williams stated. “So, simply having the mindset of what’s going to occur subsequent as a substitute of not what’s occurring proper now.”
Head coach Robert Saleh stated the sport immediately appears to be like like “The Matrix” to Williams — considerably slowed down — which is a giant distinction from when the linebacker was overrunning performs initially.
“He’s acquired his physique shifting sooner than his eyes, and the sport is shifting sooner than his thoughts,” Saleh stated Tuesday. “The sport has slowed down a lot for him. He’s acquired such elite velocity, elite size and soccer IQ that the sport is shifting at a snail’s tempo for him. … He’s gliding and protecting a lot grass, and he’s realized management and tempo. … He’s a particular one.”
Williams was snubbed by the Professional Bowl final yr, regardless of having two sacks, two pressured fumbles, an interception and 91 solo tackles, which ranked fifth within the league on the time of the alternatives in January.
He watched Sauce Gardner and older brother Quinnen Williams every earn their second journey to the sport and completed the yr with 95 solo tackles and 15 tackles for a loss.
On the time, Williams stated he anticipated to earn it.
Nonetheless, Saleh famous some gamers have to be extra affected person than others to get to a sure degree.
“He’s acquired all of the athletics instruments. I believe we neglect typically that these guys want time,” Saleh stated. “We rejoice the anomalies — the handful of men that simply explode onto the scene, and so they turn out to be nice the second they hit the sector. And there’s some guys that simply take time. It’s OK if it takes two, three, 4 years. … He has all the pieces you need. … Some guys simply take longer to develop and we’re very lucky.”
After the Professional Bowl snub, Williams needed to go away little doubt that he deserves a nomination this season.
For that, he stated he should concentrate on consistency, delivering on each play, as a lot as potential.
“I set the usual for myself, so now it’s conserving the identical normal or exceeding that normal,” Williams stated.
