NFL Draft 2013 results: Sylvester Williams selected by Denver Broncos with pick No. 28

The Broncos don’t have a standout player out defensive tackle. Sylvester Williams could be starting right away.

by Jason Garrison

Apr 26, 2013, 3:18 AM UTC

Geoff Burke

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With the No. 28 overall pick pick in the 2013 NFL Draft, the Denver Broncos selected North Carolina defensive tackle Sylvester Williams. Williams is the No. 35 ranked player in the draft rankings from SB Nation's Dan Kadar and the sixth-ranked defensive tackle.

Williams quit football after high school but he got back into the game in junior college. He walked on at Coffeyville Community College after working in a factory and after two years he was an honorable mention JC All-American. Several major programs recruited him but he chose North Carolina. He then became one of the standout players on the Tar Heels’ defensive line.

The Broncos need help all over the defensive line, especially after the Elvis Dumervil debacle. They chose to address defensive tackle first, and Williams will instantly be a rotational player, if not a starter in 2013.

In a prospect profile on SB Nation, the following were listed as positives for Williams:

-Quick first step for a man with such a large frame. He has the size to play as either a nose tackle or a three-technique defensive tackle, but is better suited to play as a three-technique in a 4-3 system.
-Unsurprisingly, Williams possesses a lot of raw strength and is good at using his arms to deal with offensive linemen and bring down ball carriers.
-Williams has a great swim move and can do it with both arms. However, the swim is his only real move, which will become an issue at the NFL level if he can’t develop another way to get past offensive linemen.

Combine results

Height: 6’3
Weight: 313 lbs.
Hand size: 10 3/4 inches
40-yard dash: 5.03 seconds
Vertical jump: 26.5 inches

Williams was projected as a nose tackle in the NFL and should be able to anchor a defensive line against the run. He is very quick for his size and is a naturally gifted athlete. He was used as a pass rusher at times while at North Carolina but likely won’t be asked to rush the passer at the next level nearly as much. Williams can be tough to move for an offensive lineman and could be productive early as a rookie.