Tim Williams was so disruptive during the first half of Alabama's spring game and created such problems for the Tide's Cam Robinson-less offensive line that ESPN's Joey Galloway asked Nick Saban at halftime whether they may have to double-team Williams in the second half.

A smiling Saban joked, "We don't really plan stuff like that in the spring game, but we probably need to or Tim's going to ruin the game."

It was more of Williams being Williams.

Alabama's senior outside linebacker is arguably the best pass rusher in the country, impressive enough as a situational pass rusher last season that longtime ESPN NFL draft analyst Mel Kiper ranks Williams No. 2 on his early Big Board for next year's NFL draft.

But there are different types of pass rushers.

Some top pass rushers are successful because of their speed and athleticism. Some benefit from being big and strong. There are other important characteristics to pass rushing like technique, moves and leverage.

The 6-foot-4 Williams isn't overly big. The Louisiana native is listed at 237 pounds. His 40 time? Also average. He ran a 4.77 during the spring, according to numbers obtained by AL.com.

So what's so special about Williams as a pass rusher? Why do offensive tackles have such a difficult time keeping him from pressuring and sacking the quarterback? We asked two former standout NFL outside linebackers, Shawne Merriman and former Alabama star Jarret Johnson, to find out.

'Disruptive as hell'

Merriman was once one of the NFL's top pass rushers, a three-time Pro Bowler, who led the NFL with 17 sacks in 2006 despite playing in just 12 games.

Watching Williams' first sack against Florida in last year's SEC Championship game, Merriman laughed and said, "That's not even fair."

Lined up over Gators right tackle Mason Halter, Williams exploded forward immediately when the ball was snapped. Williams was by Halter almost instantly, looping around and sacking quarterback Treon Harris.

"That dude didn't even get out of his stance," Merriman said before joking, "He might as well of just waited there in that same stance and just waited for the end of the play."

Harris had the ball less than two seconds before being hit by Williams.

"To be a great pass rusher, you have to have this explosion right off of the ball and the ability to turn a corner," Merriman said. "His get-off off the ball and the way he times snaps, you can't coach that. You can coach guys and get them better with their technique and getting off of blocks and things like that. You can get a guy better with his hands and help him learn different moves and stuff like that. The way he takes off of the ball and his explosion and his ability to turn a corner, you can't coach that."

To Merriman, the most impressive parts of Williams' game are that explosiveness off the snap, the ability to turn the corner, Williams' motor and how consistently Williams was beating offensive tackles and pressuring the quarterback.

Despite playing strictly on third down and in obvious passing situations, Williams had 10.5 sacks and four additional quarterback hurries during the Tide's final 12 games last year.

"He's just disruptive as hell," Merriman said. "Even when he didn't get the sack, he causes a lot of disruption back there."

Johnson, who ranks third in UA history with 23 career sacks, pointed out some of the same traits as Merriman.

"Great get-off," said Johnson, who helped in the Baltimore Ravens' scouting department last year. "Very explosive. Active hands and can keep his pads down as he turns the corner. Relentless pass rusher. Makes the hustle sacks."

Johnson called Williams' sack against Michigan State in the College Football Playoff semifinals "Dwight Freeney-like."

Freeney, who has 119.5 sacks in 14 NFL seasons, is known for his explosiveness and a spin move that has embarrassed many offensive tackles during Freeney's NFL career.

To get that sack against Michigan State, Williams spun back after initially bursting upfield. The spin was so aggressive and his arms swung so violently that veteran Spartans right tackle Kodi Kieler was knocked to the ground face-first upon Williams' left arm hitting him in the back during the spin.

Also helping Williams is above-average strength and lower body explosiveness.

Williams squatted 555 pounds during the spring, the best on the team among non-linemen and better than most of Alabama's linemen. His 325-pound power clean was fourth-best on the team among non-linemen. He can bench press at least 405 pounds. He also had a 9'5" broad jump, a solid number in a drill used to test lower body strength and explosiveness.

The next step

The big questions regarding Williams are whether he can be a productive every-down player, which he is expected to be this season, and whether he can hold up against the run.

Williams was so good as a pass rusher last year that he got a late first-round, early second-round grade from the NFL before deciding to return to Alabama for his senior season.

A productive year as an every-down player could lead to Williams going in the top-five of next year's NFL draft.

"The thing I worked on the most this year is taking on blockers, holding down my gap, just playing the run for real, just being more attentive and more focused when I hear run plays or anything about the run because this is new to me," Williams said during the spring, "but I'm taking on the challenge."

Still, it's his pass-rushing ability that has those in the NFL world so intrigued and that makes Williams a potential top-five pick. He showed it with two sacks and two additional quarterback hurries during the first half of the spring game.

"I thought Williams, the momentum he built up at the end of the year, the way this league is for pass rushers, he would have gone really high (in this year's draft)," Kiper said. "Now, next year, if he can duplicate or build on what he did, Tim Williams is a top-five pick. He's like a Khalil Mack was coming out, that kind of player."