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2015 NFL Draft Combine Profile: USC Defensive End Leonard Williams

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By @bradberreman24

Leonard Williams, 2015 NFL Draft

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At this early stage before this spring’s NFL Draft, it’s hard to find a bad word about USC defensive lineman Leonard Williams. Mock drafts have him as a top-five pick, as high as No. 2 overall to the Tennessee Titans, and plenty of draft analysts have lauded his upside and potential to be the best player in this year’s class when we look back in a handful of years.

Williams probably can’t do much to improve his stock at next week’s NFL Combine in Indianapolis, and it’s worth wondering if doing every drill will actually hurt him if he happens to not perform well.

An ankle issue bothered Williams last season, but he was still a dominant force for the Trojans (9.5 tackles for loss, seven sacks and three forced fumbles). He suggested to Yahoo! Sports that he may skip the bench press at the combine, due to lingering issues dating back to when he played with a torn labrum in each shoulder in 2013. That he is still dealing with shoulder problems definitely qualifies as a big red flag, but it didn’t dramatically affect his performance on the field last season and that is what ultimately matters the most.

Williams is considered versatile enough to play anywhere in a 4-3 or 3-4 defensive front, which obviously helps explain his lofty draft stock. He could be an immediate difference maker wherever he lands based on raw ability, then evolve into something more with technique work at the next level. The recent history of defensive lineman that were drafted in the top-10 has been at best hit-and-miss, but the possibility that Williams can be an instant and long-term force is likely to be too much for certain teams to pass on.

The combine offers no upside for Williams, but he does need to at least show up and go through the interview process with teams. It does not surprise me that he may skip the bench press if there are any questions about his ability to do his best, but Williams can cement his status as a top-five pick by doing everything else and meeting expectations.

Brad Berreman is a Columnist and Senior Writer at Rant Sports.com. Connect with him on Twitter.

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