The Raiders and the Redskins both passed on him, but the Jets are glad they didn’t. In April, they shelled out the money for the No. 6 overall selection, former USC defensive end Leonard Williams.

They haven’t regretted it.

Pro Football Focus graded Williams a +14.1 through the first six weeks of his pro career, their best ever mark for a defensive end. The man standing to his right on the line, Sheldon Richardson, holds the third-best ranking, a +9.9 mark. J.J. Watt only scored a -0.5 through Week 6 his rookie year.

PFF Grade at Wk 6 of rookie yr: Leonard Williams +14.1 Henry Anderson +11.9 Sheldon Richardson +9.9 J.J. Watt -0.5 pic.twitter.com/MG7llfHQMr — Pro Football Focus (@PFF) October 22, 2015



Williams is on pace for 64 tackles this season, with 20 through five games and 0.5 sacks. Jets coaches think so much of him that on Sunday, when second year end Sheldon Richardson returned from his four-game suspension, rather than sit Williams, they changed their scheme from 3-4 to 4-3 to keep the rookie in the rotation.

There was much talk, as there usually is, around the time of the draft that the Redskins were a lock to pick Williams. When they passed, many thought they would regret the decision. The Jets have not: they field the overall best rush defense and are one of five teams yet to surrender 500 total yards up the middle.