A Tale Of Three Rookies: The Truth Behind the Mario Williams Pick

Mario Williams. 6’7'', 285-pound, 24-year-old defensive end, who has averaged over 13 sacks in his last two seasons.   And he’s still a kid.   Many feel the 09-10 season will be Williams’ year. Where he breaks out from being a talented rookie, to a defensive megastar.   Think James Harrison.   The most surprising thing about the Williams story is the fact that he has to go down as one of the least known No. 1 picks in draft history.   Until Houston started courting him, not many fans had Mario very high on their draft boards.   So how did this deal come about?   Firstly, Mario didn’t just appear out of nowhere. Houston had been watching him for a long time, and liked what they saw.   GM at the time, Charles Casserly, watched Williams eight times during his final college year, and liked what he was seeing.   After a trip to watch Williams against Florida State, he told a friend at Sports ... (link)