Trent Williams, a nine-time Pro Bowl offensive tackle and the highest-ever graded player in a single season by Pro Football Focus, came in at No. 14 in the NFL Top 100 players of 2022. Tight end George Kittle feels that is an offensive placement for one of the league's best players.
"The one I'm upset about, I don't know how Trent Williams isn't one, two, or maybe three," Kittle told his former teammate, Richard Sherman, on The Richard Sherman Podcast. "You just watch his tape; he physically dominates people every single play. He mentally outsmarts people every single play. He gets his hands on you, you're going to get blocked. He doesn't get penalties. He's efficient. He gets put in motion. He does all these things that no one else can even dream about doing because of his talent level, and he's the 14th-best player?
"And look, you're in the top 10, all those guys deserve to be in the top 10. They're all fantastic football players. But Aaron Donald and Trent Williams are my one [and] two. That's it. And then you got Tom Brady, you got Aaron Rodgers, you got [Patrick] Mahomes, you got Josh Allen, you got those quarterbacks who are really special. Cooper Kupp was incredible, Davante Adams was incredible, but no one does what Trent Williams does every single play."
From the best player on the 49ers' offense to the best player on defense, Kittle says there is no one in the league quite like Nick Bosa. The tight end reminisced on what it has been like going against the talented pass rusher, never knowing what to expect from each rep. That's because Bosa shows him something different each time.
Kittle remembered once trying to get his hands on Bosa and then watching the defensive end quickly grab his wrists and pull him out of the way, leaving him free to continue his path toward the quarterback uninterrupted.
"No one's ever grabbed my wrists and pulled before," Kittle noted. "I said, 'That was new.'"
The All-Pro tight end was more impressed than embarrassed by being cast aside like a mere annoyance.
"I think Nick Bosa is, I want to say, probably going to be Defensive Player of the Year," Kittle said. "I think he's going to have a shot at being an MVP, as long as people give him flowers when he's out there, and he sets a new sack record. He's going to get double-teams. He's going to get chipped every single play. He so good."
You can listen to the entire interview below.