TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -- It’s not just fans, spectators and media that are impressed by the season Quinnen Williams is having for top-ranked Alabama. His teammates have also taken notice.

“Just like during the game, you’ll be watching on the field or you look up on the screen, and he’s disrupting something on the field, either the quarterback or making a tackle,” tight end Irv Smith Jr. said. “I mean, we’re glad we’ve got him on our team and not on the other team. He’s making a play just about every play. So, it’s awesome just seeing what he’s doing out there.”

Williams has caught a lot of observers’ attention with his play on the field this fall.

Matt Miller, who covers the NFL draft for Bleacher Report, had Williams going No. 6 overall to the Cleveland Browns in his latest mock draft for 2019, while NFL Network draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah said Williams is “the most dominant player on the field in every game I study.”

His on-field performance has led to more people recognizing him when he’s off it, too. Although he doesn’t go out too much, he thinks “it’s cool” that fans are noticing him more around town.

“It’s cool to have my parents and my grandmother to be proud of me and watch stuff,” Williams said. “But I really don’t look at it. I make sure I’m focused on my team, focused on the defense itself and just focused on what we have at stake. We’ve got a lot of games left, so I want to finish the season out like we started the season. I don’t want to fall off on what I’m listening about the NFL and all this stuff like that. If my head is straight, everybody else around me head is straight. I don’t want to get cocky or complacent or anything like that.”

Williams, a redshirt sophomore, has been a force up front for the Crimson Tide all season long, but he had his most dominant performance this past weekend in Alabama’s 29-0 win at LSU.

The Birmingham, Ala., native tallied career highs in tackles (10) and sacks (2.5) and equaled his career high in tackles for loss (3.5) as he led the Crimson Tide in production points and limited the Tigers to just 12 rushing yards and 196 yards of total offense at their home stadium. For his efforts versus LSU, he was named SEC Defensive Player of the Week, Walter Camp Defensive Player of the Week and the Bronko NagurskiTrophy National Defensive Player of the Week.

Alabama LB Anfernee Jennings (right) celebrates with teammate Quinnen Williams at LSU.

Basically living in the LSU backfield this past Saturday, the Wenonah (Ala.) High School product has consistently made big plays this entire season, registering 43 tackles, 12 tackles for loss, nine quarterback hurries and four sacks. But he won’t take all the credit for his success.

“I just feel like without the coaching staff, without the defense, without the linebackers, without the safeties, I wouldn’t be doing what I’m doing,” Williams said. “Without the people next to me, I wouldn’t be doing what I’m doing. I never just look at it like I’m doing all this. I’m a highlight, we’re all a highlight, the whole defense is a highlight. I didn’t go out there and shut them out to zero points, the whole defense did it. I never just look at it as I’m a highlight reel.

“The whole defense is a highlight reel.”

Williams has come a long way since his days as a 246-pound, 3-star recruit in 2016. Playing behind guys like Jonathan Allen and Daron Payne helped him reach this current level of play.

But did he expect himself to be considered one of the best defenders in college football?

“I’m not going to say I didn’t expect it, but I just feel like I’m doing what everybody did before me,” Williams said “Everybody who played this position or played on this defense, they expect themselves to perform. I feel like I owe the people who came before me, the people who taught me to do it, to play just like them.”



The third-year defensive tackle is wreaking havoc in opposing teams’ backfields, and many are starting to see the type of year he is having for UA. And those closest to him have a front seat.

“Q is a great example of a guy that really has really good work ethic, really wants to be a good player,” Alabama coach Nick Saban said. “He’s bright. He’s worked really hard to get bigger and stronger. He’s got really good quickness. His athleticism is good.

“But he probably plays with as much intelligence as anyone that we have on our defensive team in terms of understanding how people are trying to block him and what their pass protection and bird and rabbits and creating every advantage for himself.”

Contact Charlie Potter by 247Sports' personal messaging or on Twitter (@Charlie_Potter).

*** Don't miss a VIP update with our FREE trial of BamaOnLine. Sign up HERE ***