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 all of the sudden smaller than he as soon as was — not as quick, expert, athletic, and many others. — 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 possibly can name out the performs and so they [the offense] are doing all these motions attempting to trick you and stuff,” Williams mentioned after observe Tuesday.
And it’s extra pleasant 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 checklist.
“It feels good. It simply reveals that my preparation and every little thing I’m doing off the sector and on the sector is getting the popularity that it deserves,” Williams mentioned. “However it 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 essentially the most performs throughout observe. Mosely is presently beating him.
“Offense is basically the identical, they simply attempt to gown it up in a different way,” Williams mentioned. “So, simply having the mindset of what’s going to occur subsequent as an alternative of not what’s happening proper now.”
Head coach Robert Saleh mentioned the sport all of the sudden appears to be like like “The Matrix” to Williams — considerably slowed down — which is an enormous distinction from when the linebacker was overrunning performs at first.
“He’s acquired his physique transferring sooner than his eyes, and the sport is transferring sooner than his thoughts,” Saleh mentioned Tuesday. “The sport has slowed down a lot for him. He’s acquired such elite pace, elite size and soccer IQ that the sport is transferring at a snail’s tempo for him. … He’s gliding and masking 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 compelled fumbles, an interception and 91 solo tackles, which ranked fifth within the league on the time of the picks 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 mentioned he anticipated to earn it.
Nonetheless, Saleh famous some gamers must be extra affected person than others to get to a sure degree.
“He’s acquired all of the athletics instruments. I feel we overlook typically that these guys want time,” Saleh mentioned. “We have fun the anomalies — the handful of fellows that simply explode onto the scene, and so they turn into 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 every little thing you need. … Some guys simply take longer to develop and we’re very lucky.”
After the Professional Bowl snub, Williams wished to depart little doubt that he deserves a nomination this season.
For that, he mentioned he must deal with consistency, delivering on each play, as a lot as attainable.
“I set the usual for myself, so now it’s protecting the identical customary or exceeding that customary,” Williams mentioned.