Connor Williams (TEX)

Originally posted by Phoenix49ers:

Watch #69

#69 is like hey where'd my guy go oohhh your behind me already

Originally posted by Heroism:
It's becoming difficult to get excited about any first-round OL prospect for me. I'm starting to only have eyes for Quenton Nelson.

same boat man. Nelson looks like the best guard prospect in a long time lol. Not a sexy position at all but 95% of our pressure is right up the middle and he would be an instant upgrade over what we have now.

Originally posted by Phoenix49ers:
Probably gonna get slammed for this but I'm not a fan at all. I worry that he has too steep of a learning curve as a pass blocker. I'm tired of one dimensional lineman and Williams would probably be best suited for the right side, at least for the first few years of his career.

I think the 49ers need immediate impact, a guy who can step in and start from Day 1 and be a positive and I see Williams being more of a project like a lot of OL coming out for the draft in recent years.

Any OT we would take this year would likely have to start out at guard till Staley hangs 'em up. After that, whoever is better between him and Trent Brown will take the LT spot leaving the other at RT. That sounds like a great situation to me. I'm not saying Connor is the right guy, but I'd love to get an elite OT prospect at the top of the draft.

He's not an elite OT prospect. There's one elite OL prospect in this draft, and he wears 56 for Notre Dame.

Originally posted by SammyFrancisco:
Any OT we would take this year would likely have to start out at guard till Staley hangs 'em up. After that, whoever is better between him and Trent Brown will take the LT spot leaving the other at RT. That sounds like a great situation to me. I'm not saying Connor is the right guy, but I'd love to get an elite OT prospect at the top of the draft.

Wouldn't it make the most sense to draft a guy who already excels at guard in that scenario? Draft a tackle to develop over time.

Originally posted by Phoenix49ers:

What I look at with Williams is that he's well behind the curve as a pass blocker, just because he gets away with it at the college level doesn't mean NFL pass rushers won't dollywop him early on. He lacks fundamentals and will need a lot of coaching in that regard to hold his own in that area. I fully expect him to be a quality run blocker from Day 1.

I just see him as too much of a project to drop an early pick on, especially with Nelson out there who I think could be plugged in from Day 1 and do well as a pass blocker and run blocker early on. Like I said, my opinion probably isn't a popular one but considering the bust rate of tackles over the past 5 years and with all those guys who failed having fairly similar profiles in terms of lacking fundamentals, particularly in pass blocking, Williams worries me.

I value your opinion for sure, but I gotta disagree with ya....dude has been pretty impressive before this seaon and actually was looking much healthier during the West Virginia game.

Like i said i see a similar prospect as tunsil....I'd like to see if we could throw him in as a OG and then push him out to tackle once joe is done.

Nelson is the top OL without question but I love the upside of Conner and the fact we could throw him inside or outside

Duke Williams thinks Connor's terrible technique earlier in the year may have been due to injury:


I was a little shocked when I saw those videos Phoenix posted. Connor Williams looked good every time I had seen him, but I've never really sat down and evaluated him.

Originally posted by Heroism:

Duke Williams thinks Connor's terrible technique earlier in the year may have been due to injury:

I wonder if Connor Williams was hurt coming into the season, then hurt the knee on top of another injury.

From Game-1 his pass set had a hitch to it, weight distribution was off, which left him out of position, which lead to him missing wt hands.

Looks good early vs WVU

— Duke Manyweather (@BigDuke50) November 18, 2017

I was a little shocked when I saw those videos Phoenix posted. Connor Williams looked good every time I had seen him, but I've never really sat down and evaluated him.

That's what I'm saying he was pretty damn good prior to the injury and looks like he's getting back to form judging from the West Virginia game.

Nelson is the top OL prospect without question, but I think this kid could roll as a guard then push out to tackle.

Originally posted by NYniner85:
That's what I'm saying he was pretty damn good prior to the injury and looks like he's getting back to form judging from the West Virginia game.

Nelson is the top OL prospect without question, but I think this kid could roll as a guard then push out to tackle.

If they are going to be drafted in a similar range, then give me Nelson. I see a guy who is much more fundamentally sound who also has that bully mentality and really seems to relish contact and knocking guys around. If you can get Williams later on in the 1st round then that is a different story but if I have to take one in the 1st round, its Nelson easily.

Originally posted by Phoenix49ers:
Probably gonna get slammed for this but I'm not a fan at all. I worry that he has too steep of a learning curve as a pass blocker. I'm tired of one dimensional lineman and Williams would probably be best suited for the right side, at least for the first few years of his career.

I think the 49ers need immediate impact, a guy who can step in and start from Day 1 and be a positive and I see Williams being more of a project like a lot of OL coming out for the draft in recent years.

You could always ban....

I like Connor, and he'd probably do fine at guard, especially considering his run blocking, but with how bad our guards look, if were plugging him in at guard, I don't want him spending any time getting reps at tackle.

His development will still occur, but slowly. At that point, where is the upside over Nelson, if both require a first round pick. A lot dont know, but Nelson was actually a 4 and 5 star recruit at tackle, not guard. He certainly has the size, technique, and foot speed to play outside. Not saying this is necessarily what id do, but if were going to develop a guard to play tackle, why not do it with Nelson?

Originally posted by Phoenix49ers:

If they are going to be drafted in a similar range, then give me Nelson. I see a guy who is much more fundamentally sound who also has that bully mentality and really seems to relish contact and knocking guys around. If you can get Williams later on in the 1st round then that is a different story but if I have to take one in the 1st round, its Nelson easily.

Oh I think Nelson is the better OL prospect and I'd be more than happy with either...I do like the idea of having Conner start at guard and pushing out to tackle in a yr or so though.

FWIW I think Conner and Solly are high school bros (which means nothing lol)

Originally posted by DeHubb:
OL

6-6 288 lbs.

Cant wait for him to come out. Grab him and a OLine like the Cowboys and Raiders. (Staley, Garrett, Brown, C. Williams) lovely line.

This guy had a great year for Texas blocking his butt off.. Vicious blocker attacker at the line.

He's a major factor for us now as a potential pick IMO.