The Value of the Nose Tackle

I was reading an article with a take on the progress of the Jets rookies so far in the preseason, and what stood out to me the most was the analysis on NT/DE Quinnen Williams, who can play all positions on the defensive line, but was drafted as a nose guard. The writer talked about how he fared against the Saints; how he didn't record anything statistically, but drew a holding call. He went on to say his play was not enough for a third overall pick and gave him a C-minus.

This reminded me of how undervalued the nose tackle/guards are. Their value typically isn't going to show up on a stat sheet, but rather in intangibles. They're usually asked to engage offensive lineman and occupy space to create lanes for the defensive ends, linebackers and sometimes safeties to make plays. So, some analysts and most spectators tend to think just because the guy didn't record 5-8 tackles and a sack, his day was unproductive.

Usually, when you see the "star" defensive players make the Sports Center highlight plays, it's usually the nose tackles who set it up, tying up the lineman to create lanes for them to make those plays, which brings me back to Quinnen Williams. The previous week against the Falcons, he didn't record a tackle or a sack, but it was his ability to occupy blockers that enabled others to make big plays, as explained and demonstrated in this video.

Of course, getting sacks and tackles-- for losses, in particular-- are a plus, and I want to see that from him, however, most guys who play the anchor position typically won't generate a lot of sacks because of what they're asked to do, for the most part. Players like Jay Ratliff, who played the anchor position back in the early 2000s are rare. I think people will see more of his pass rush prowess when they move him around on the line, versus him playing strictly as the anchor.

Overall, I wanted to shed more light on how valuable the nose tackle/guard/anchor position really is. While they usually won't have the same Pro Bowl-caliber stats as an Aaron Donald or J.J. Watt, they bring more to the table than most realize or give them credit for. They do the grunt work while others get the glory.