Leonard Williams Honored but Byron Murphy Still Overlooked

This list by Fowler was created by NFL players, coaches and executives who have seen Williams’ dominance or been victims of it. This past season, Williams accounted for 62 total tackles, 33 solo tackles, nine tackles for loss, seven sacks and 22 quarterback hits. Fowler highlighted his 38% run-stop win rate this past season and 120 run-stop wins when double-teams in the past two seasons were two of the biggest reasons Williams was placed at No. 1 on the list.

Another key aspect of Williams being at the top of the list was his ability to win from multiple areas of the defensive line. With the defensive system of head coach Mike Macdonald and defensive coordinator Aden Durde, they like to place areas throughout different positions. Williams is a player who shines and dominates at the one-technique defensive tackle, three-technique defensive tackle, in front of the guard, and the strongside defensive end. Williams has shown to consistently dominate from multiple areas of the field, making him one of the valuable members of the Dark Side Defense.

Why Byron Murphy Was Left Off

While Leonard was at the top of the list of defensive tackles, one player who is shockingly off the list is Murphy. Within the two years with the Seahawks, he has already become a staple of the Dark Side Defense. Fowler has Murphy as one of the first honorable mentions out of the top ten. A veteran defensive coach described Murphy as an explosive player who can consistently break through double-teams. In all 17 regular-season games this past season, Murphy accounted for 62 total tackles, seven tackles for loss, seven sacks and 13 quarterback hits.

At the one-technique defensive tackle, Murphy is often double-teamed, but his explosiveness at the snap and strength make him so tough to push at the line of scrimmage. He is often in the backfield, causing the ball carrier to change directions or the quarterback to rush his passes.

Most of the top defensive tackles play in the three-technique and can play at the end, if needed. Murphy has been playing more at the one-technique, but he possesses the speed and athleticism to play throughout the defensive line. He knows he is undervalued and he wants to set a goal of 10 sacks this upcoming season to ensure he won’t be underrated. Murphy could be a more dynamic player this upcoming season at the three-technique or strongside defensive end to open the playbook more for the Seahawks’ defense.