Milton Williams Is in for a Big Year
He may not be a household name, but Milton Williams was quietly one of the Eagles’ best interior defensive linemen last season. The former third-round pick out of Louisiana Tech recorded four sacks last season in his second year. There was a lot of depth at the defensive tackle position last season, and Williams was one of the best in a crowded room. Now headlining in his third year, Williams could become a major piece to the Eagles’ success next season.
His stats don’t pop off the page, but Williams looked really good at times last season. With the loss of Javon Hargrave, it seems that it will be a combination of Jordan Davis and Williams replacing the Pro Bowl defensive tackle. In the Super Bowl Williams actually out-snapped Davis, Ndamukong Suh, and Linval Joseph in the big game. Essentially, he was looked at as the third DT behind Hargrave and Fletcher Cox late in the season.
Now with Hargrave on the San Francisco 49ers, Williams will likely see a lot more action next season, and deservedly so.
There is one big factor still at play, the NFL Draft. If the Eagles do go out and draft a defensive tackle early, for example, Jalen Carter or Calijah Kancey, that could certainly impact Williams’ playing time. The Eagles are always going to look and improve the defensive line. With the aforementioned Hargrave gone and Cox only on a one-year deal and only getting older, defensive tackle is a big need in this year’s draft.
The Eagles love rotating their linemen and keeping them fresh throughout the game. Even if the Eagles do draft a defensive tackle, which is very likely at some point, Williams still proved he deserves more playing time. The film speaks for itself, Williams is on the verge of a massive 2023-2024 campaign.
The Eagles are going to be turning to a lot of young players to help fill the void of veterans that left. Williams is going to be one of those guys who is leaned on more heavily next season, and I’m calling it now, he will have a massive season next year for the Birds’ defense.
Featured Image: Mitchell Leff/Getty Images
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Categorized:Eagles