Draft Preview Series: Nose Tackle Edition - Cody vs. Williams

The Steelers locked up “Big Snack” Casey Hampton for 3 more seasons, but they haven’t ruled out bringing in a young NT to succeed him in a year or two.  This April's draft has two first round caliber Nose Tackles from SEC country in Terrence Cody of Alabama and Dan Williams of Tennessee. 

The Steelers may want to take a NT in round 1 this year as Hampton’s career is on it’s last legs, and in addition as many as 15 NFL teams will be fielding he 3-4 defense this fall. In the past only a handful of teams used the 3-4 and players that fit that scheme fell much later than they do now.  When you look around the NFL you can count the number of elite NT’s on one hand, and if the Steelers version of the 3-4 intends to stay ahead of the pack, adding another space eating NT is imperative.  

Here is a case for why each player is the better fit for the Steelers needs should they decide to spend their first round pick on the position:

Planet Theory dictates

MountCody’s is one of a rare few   (SteelPerch’s take)

With Casey Hampton in the lineup the Steelers have had a top flight run defense practically every year.  7 of the last 8 seasons have ended with the Steelers ranking in the top 3 run defenses in the NFL.  A large part of that success can be attributed to what Casey Hampton provides in the middle of the defensive line. 

Hampton has never been a pass rush threat, or even very mobile, yet the Steelers have consistently fielded a top flight pass rush.  He has been primarily a 2 down player his entire career, and the defense has thrived around him.  Having a big stout space eater in the middle of the line, capable of splitting double teams and taking on multiple blocker thus freeing up the ILB’s to make plays is critical for the 3-4 defense.  Terrence Cody is Casey Hampton taken to the extreme. 

At 6’4 and anywhere from 340 to 380 lbs depending on his proximity to a buffet, Cody is an immovable object, a man mountain capable of collapsing pockets and swallowing up would-be blockers.  For a man that big he is athletic enough.  He won’t be beating anyone with dynamic pass rush moves, but when motivated, he can collapse any pocket into the QB’s lap.  Cody has experience playing the 3-4 NT position while at Alabama, something Casey Hampton never had the luxury to do. 

The knock on Cody, as is true with Hampton, is that he is essentially a 2 down player with weight and conditioning concerns.  When your job is to be massive and immovable those are logical side effects.  Being fat and struggling to run 100 yard sprints comes with the territory.  Guys like Ted Washington and Sam Adams carved out nice careers by just being too big to move and played well into their thirties.  

The weighty concerns about Cody’s excess bulk are not to be taken lightly, however he has shown his commitment by dropping from the 380 lb range this season down to 340 by his Pro Day.  A weight clause in his contract coupled with his NFL team strictly monitoring his diet and exercise levels should be enough to keep him in reasonable playing shape.

In an ideal world you’d find a NT that was dominant vs. the run and also capable of being an effective pass rusher.  In reality, you just don’t find players capable of doing both so if you are going to settle, take the guy that can’t be moved and let your linebackers ends get the QB.  I’d take the extra bulk of Cody over the added athleticism of Williams.

Williams is more of a playmaker than Cody…  (Hardnosed’s take)

Nose tackle is the key to the Steelers' 34 defense, and they moved to ensure quality play at the position by re-signing Casey Hampton to a 3 year contract.  Hampton's new deal likely eliminates the need for an early round nose tackle, but this year's crop is flush with quality prospects, and Hampton's deal doesn't preclude them making a move so that he doesn't see the end of it if a top prospect is in place.

If the Steelers want to make sure they have their nose tackle of the future, Dan Williams should be their target, though he might be selected before their pick at #18.

Williams is massive, but not overweight. He's excellent at tying up blockers and demands a double team. He's adept at sliding down the line to make tackles - he was in on 70 tackles last season, with more than half of them solo. He's more of a playmaker than Hampton or Terrence Cody, with more quickness.

Williams improved his play greatly as a senior under the tutelage of Monte Kiffin. I've seen random reports about a questionable motor, but as someone who sees a ton of Tennessee I can't agree, he has been one of Tennessee's most consistent performers.

While he'll never be a top interior pass rusher, Williams might be a good complement for Ziggy Hood as a guy who can demand double teams in pass protection and simply push the pocket, freeing up Hood to use his athleticism.

I don't believe that the Steelers will use an early pick on a nose tackle (I think there plenty of attractive later-round prospects that can be groomed like Jay Ross and Linval Joseph), Williams would be the best fit because I believe he could fill in at both the nose and Aaron Smith's left defensive end position while waiting for his starting shot at nose tackle.

Smith's position is like a quasi-nose tackle spot, with a lot of 2 gap play that sometimes makes the defense look like a 2/5/4 with Keisel standing up to handle backside contain.
While Williams' length isn't perfect for that role, they could make use of him that way while he develops, giving them an exceptional 6 man defensive line rotation. 

In a passing league, Williams' athleticism and versatility give him the edge over Terrence Cody and would be a better fit in the Steelers' defense.