2. Sam Williams, DE
The Cowboys’ second-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft has really started to show his potential in limited snaps on the defensive end. With DeMarcus Lawrence, Dorance Armstrong, and Micah Parsons all manning the outside edges for the Cowboys, Williams’ playing time has been hard to come by.
But the rookie is making the most of his opportunities in his first season. Before missing Week 8 against the Bears, Williams had his best game as a pro. He had three tackles, two sacks, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery, and two quarterback hits against the Lions, all on just 14 defensive snaps.
Cowboys rookie DE Sam Williams is still nowhere near his developmental ceiling, and that is what excites team most. His 14 defensive snaps in Sunday's win over Lions included his first two career NFL sacks with a body slam (no penalty) in between. pic.twitter.com/ilZevnzBAu
— Michael Gehlken (@GehlkenNFL) October 24, 2022
Williams has the “raw skills” to be an exceptional pass-rusher for the Cowboys for years to come. As a senior at Ole Miss, the rookie finished with 12.5 sacks, four forced fumbles, and 15 tackles for loss. If it wasn’t for his off-field issues, he would have likely been a late first-round pick.
Although he missed Week 8, he will be good to go against the Packers and he’s definitely a player to keep an eye on. With the Cowboys mixing in Williams, Parsons, Armstrong, and Lawrence on the pass rush, Green Bay should have their hands full.