Defensive end Mario Williams plays for the Houston Texans of the NFL. Prior to going pro, he played for North Carolina State from 2003-2005. In 2006, the Texans selected him first overall in the NFL Draft.

Williams proved to be a fine pick. In 2007, he was All-Pro. That same year he grabbed quarterbacks for a total of 14 sacks—setting the single season record for that franchise. In two seasons, he has played in every regular season game, garnering a total of 106 tackles with 78 being solo stops. He's forced three fumbles and made 18.5 sacks.

The DE is a hulking six-foot-seven, 291 pounds. Williams propels himself with ferocity off the ball, getting the jump on offensive players. But he's not just fast; the defensive end is extremely athletic, enabling him to make adjustments to developing action. Blockers who play his first push towards the quarterback are often left in the dust by one of his counter moves. In his first season, it was clear that he needed to hone his pass rushing skills and get up to speed on reading developing plays. Williams showed a huge amount of improvement in his second year, using his intelligence, work ethic and talent to better adjust to plays. His focus, technique and skills were greatly enhanced. Look for him to be a dominant player for years to come.