After spending a lot of his rookie season as a starter once veteran Larry Foote went down injured in the season-opener, second-year linebacker Vince Williams feels like he’s made tremendous strides since then.
“I feel it’s night and day difference right now,” said Williams, who was drafted last year by the Steelers in the sixth-round of the 2013 NFL Draft. “Right now I feel like I’ve been here for several years, actually. So my understanding, I’m really starting to click and understand what I’m talking about.”
In addition to making strides in those areas, Williams also believes he’ll be a better player during his second season because of the confidence he now has in not only the defense, but himself.
“I’m out here playing much, much faster” said Williams. “Last year I used to have to think about things before I did it, but now I understand what I have to do. I see it and I go.”
Currently, Williams is second-team buck linebacker behind Lawrence Timmons and while he’s unlikely to play as much as he did last season baring another injury, he believes he can step right in like he did last year as a rookie. Only this time, he’ll be much more prepared to run the defense.
“I know what I’m doing and I feel confident that the coaches know what I’m doing,” said Williams. “And my teammates, whenever I make calls or corrections, they believe what I’m saying, because they know that I know I’m doing.”
