Quinnen Williams remains one of the NFL's biggest names at defensive tackle, but the latest verdict from NFL scouts came as a surprise. Ahead of the 2026 season, the Dallas Cowboys star received an unexpected ranking from league insiders. 

Per ESPN's latest survey by NFL executives, coaches and scouts, Williams was ranked No. 6 among the league's defensive tackles entering the 2026 season. Despite finishing among the top 10, at least one voter left the Cowboys star completely unranked. 

“The Jets will knock you down -- the same thing happened to Leonard Williams,” an NFL coordinator said, per ESPN analyst Jeremy Fowler. “But I expect Quinnen to be better in Dallas, be rejuvenated a bit.” 

Another veteran NFL offensive coach also backed Williams despite the mixed rankings. 

"As far as skill sets,” the coach said, as per the survey published by ESPN analyst Jeremy Fowler on July 9. “He's still so gifted and such a matchup problem.”

Williams spent the first six seasons of his career with the New York Jets before being traded to the Cowboys in the 2025 season. His move to Dallas brought a fresh start, and he made an immediate impact during the second half of the year. 

He also showed encouraging signs after joining Dallas. Williams finished fifth in run-stop win rate (43%) among 204 qualified players in 2025. 

He also recorded 19 pressures in seven games with the Cowboys, a sharp jump from his eight pressures in eight games with the Jets. However, he finished with 2.5 sacks, his lowest total since his rookie season in 2019. 

Despite finishing strong last season, Williams did not get full support from people around the league. He was ranked sixth, but one unranked vote showed that some still do not see him among the very best at his position. 

Now, Williams will focus on showing why he belongs higher on the list. His performance in 2026 will decide if he can climb those rankings next year. 

Meanwhile, some NFL analysts were surprised by Williams’ ranking and felt he should have been placed higher among the top defensive tackles. 

NFL analyst questions Quinnen Williams’ ranking after surprising vote

According to RJ Ochoa of Blogging the Boys, the biggest surprise was one voter leaving Quinnen Williams unranked despite his No. 6 finish. Ochoa questioned how a player with Williams’ talent could be left off the list. 

“The most shocking element of this is the ‘lowest ranking’ listed which, if not obvious, means the lowest ranking Williams received from the group polled by ESPN,” Ochoa wrote on July 10. “Someone literally did not rank him. How is that possible?”

Ochoa also pointed out that some players ranked ahead of Williams could be debated.

He mentioned Chris Jones’ placement as a spot that raised questions, suggesting the veteran defender may be benefiting from his past reputation. 

“Nobody around here likes to claim any sort of tax against members of the Dallas Cowboys,”  Ochoa added. “But maybe Williams is experiencing that a bit.” 

The reaction highlighted the polarizing debate around Williams’ ranking after one voter left him off the list. Despite his strong performance with the Cowboys, questions remain about his place among the NFL’s top defensive tackles. 

Do you think Quinnen Williams deserved a higher spot in ESPN’s defensive tackle rankings? Share your thoughts in the comments.

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Written by

Divyanshi Raj

Edited by

Arundhoti Palit