Our ongoing series to look at our favourite players in each position continues with the D-line.

We can’t vouch that these will be the best players in absolute terms, have the biggest fantasy upside or even be any good in Madden (though they might be)… but they’re players that we like to watch.

Today we look at Mario Williams.


Mario Williams – Defensive End, Houston Texans (by Andrew)
Williams was one of the most surprising draft picks in a long time. At the end of the 2005 season, the Texans “won” the so-called Bush Bowl by losing to the 49ers on the last day to acheive the worst record of the season and therefore the right to draft Reggie Bush at #1 at the upcoming draft.
Surprising the fans, the media and the footballing world in general, the Texans passed on Reggie Bush, and Vince Young, to take Mario at #1. The fans were not impressed, and boos rang out at Reliant Stadium.

Mario Williams stuffs DeAngelo Williams

Mario Williams stuffs DeAngelo Williams

The media coverage was huge, and largely dismissive, considering it to be one of the biggest mistakes ever made. Bob McNair said at the time “Would Reggie Bush help us beat the Colts? We decided he wouldn’t.” (quoted from memory, so likely not verbatim) but as 2006 played out, it appeared the commentators had the right of it: Bush, who’d fallen to the Saints, helped them to the NFC Championship. Vince Young… well, let’s not worry about Vince Young, whilst Williams was slow to get going and contributed only 4.5 sacks over the season.

Come 2007, and things were better. On his way to be voted a Pro-Bowl alternate people started paying attention again. Perhaps he was a good pick after all. With Bush and Young both struggling in their sophomore seasons, and Williams was going from strength to strength: He put up 14 sacks and was favourably compared by Tony Dungy to Dwight Freeney. In 2008, things polarised even more: Young was benched and Bush was injured… Williams got to his first Pro Bowl and is truly a dominant force at Defensive End.

I’ve not checked, but it seems that the Houston Texans don’t get a lot of coverage by the UK broadcasters, but I look for him when I can. This was never a Cinderella story, that’s not what picking him here is about.
He has always just gone out and played, tried to do his best. And now he’s really great to watch.

Previous favourite DLs:
Renaldo Wynn
Will Smith