INDIANAPOLIS -- The advice to 6-foot-3, 303-pounder Quinnen Williams was to stand on a 4.87 unofficial 40-yard dash on Sunday at the 2019 NFL Scouting Combine and pass on a second chance to show scouts how fast he can run.
But the former Alabama defensive tackle had other ideas, and bested even that. Williams followed with a 4.83 official time on his second try.
Williams' agent, Nicole Lynn, told Williams he shouldn't even run the 40 a second time.
"He didn't listen," Lynn wrote in a tweet. "Decided to bet on himself ..."
And what a winning bet it was: according to NFL Research, his 4.83 clocking is the fourth-fastest by a 300-plus pound defensive lineman at the combine since 2003. The others: Tank Johnson (4.69, 2004), Luis Castillo (4.80, 2005) and Jaye Howard (4.82, 2012). The New York Jets, who hold the draft's No. 3 overall selection, took social media notice of the feat. No. 3 might not be early enough to get the Outland Trophy winner, however. NFL Network draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah said Williams remains "in the mix" as potentially the first overall selection.
Williams started for only one season at Alabama, but played in dominant form as both a pass rusher and a disruptive presence against the run, recording 19.5 tackles for loss and eight sacks. A reserve defensive end in 2017, he switched to defensive tackle last spring at Alabama to replace Washington Redskins first-round pick Daron Payne.
