Joe Klecko likes Jets' selection of Leonard Williams and D-line potential

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. -- Long before first-round pick Leonard Williams was born, the New York Jets' identity was defined by their front four -- the New York Sack Exchange, circa 1981.

The Jets' current defensive line, buttressed by Williams, has the potential to transcend its famous ancestors, according to a member of the celebrated Sack Exchange.

"I think these guys are better (than we were)," Joe Klecko told ESPN.com on Friday in a phone interview. "They have three dominant pass-rushers. I firmly believe they'll chase records."

With two of the top young linemen in the league, Muhammad Wilkerson and Sheldon Richardson, the Jets weren't necessarily looking to draft another Thursday night. But Williams, regarded by some teams as the top prospect in the draft, slipped to the Jets at No. 6.

They couldn't resist.

The Jets are so stacked that, barring a trade, Williams probably won't be an Opening Day starter in Todd Bowles' 3-4 base front. Bowles also has run-stuffing nose tackle Damon Harrison and hybrid linebacker/lineman Quinton Coples, who, along with Wilkerson and Richardson, is a former first-round pick.

Williams said he doesn't mind the cramped depth chart.

"Not at all," he said at his introductory news conference at the Jets' facility. "I love competition. I feel like it pushes everybody."

The Jets finished sixth in total defense despite an overmatched secondary. They addressed that in free agency, signing three cornerbacks -- Darrelle Revis, Antonio Cromartie and Buster Skrine.

With improved pass coverage and an already strong pass rush, the Jets have a chance to be special on defense.

"It's a quarterback's nightmare," Klecko said. "I don't know of any offensive coordinator that would want to face this. They're going to be unstoppable."

In the early 1980s, Klecko, Mark Gastineau, Marty Lyons and Abdul Salaam terrorized opponents. Klecko and Gastineau were the primary pass-rushers, with Lyons and Salaam anchoring against the run.

The Jets envision Williams as a three-down player. At USC, he played inside and outside over three years, playing in both 3-4 and 4-3 fronts. In 39 games, he recorded 21 sacks. He's six weeks shy of his 21st birthday, so he's still developing.

"To me, you're looking at a guy that's scratching the surface of the player he can potentially be, and that player could be a very good run-defender and pass-rusher when you put it all together," general manager Mike Maccagnan said.

Klecko said Williams has the best hands of any young defensive lineman he's ever seen.

It has been a long, interesting road for Williams, a former Pop Warner reject who didn't start playing organized football until high school. He wasn't allowed to play Pop Warner because he exceeded the 180-pound weight limit. At 13, he already was 200 pounds.

Williams recalled the day he found out he couldn't play.

"I was really sad, man, because they sent me home and I couldn't play anymore," he said. "It was kind of a turning point for me."

In retrospect, Williams believes it was "a blessing in disguise" because he noticed how some of his USC teammates were experiencing football burnout because they started at such a young age.

At 6-foot-5, 300 pounds, Williams is built like a man -- a large man -- but he exudes a youthful enthusiasm. He doesn't have a driver's license and he doesn't own a car. In college, he traveled the USC campus on a long board.

"I'm definitely going to have to get a car now," said Williams, who will be able to afford it once he signs a contract that will guarantee an estimated $18 million. Williams said "it's almost unreal to finally be in this position."

He endured a difficult childhood, moving several times around the country before attending high school in Daytona Beach, Florida. His father, Clenon Williams, has been incarcerated in Florida since 2012, convicted of robbery with a deadly weapon. He's due to be released in 2019.

He spoke to his father on Monday night.

"Me and my dad still have a great relationship," Williams said. "Because of good behavior, they allowed him to have a cell phone or something like that. We're able to talk on the phone a lot, and I'm able to send him pictures, and keep him updated with everything that I'm doing.

"Even though he's a Dallas Cowboys fan, he's really proud of me."