OWINGS MILLS, Md. -- The Baltimore Ravens would've been ecstatic if they found the next Terrell Suggs in the 2017 draft. Instead, the Ravens came away with a pass-rusher who has drawn a much loftier comparison.
Alabama's Tim Williams, who was selected in the third round by Baltimore, received the ultimate compliment last December when former New York Giants coach Ray Perkins watched tape of No. 56 for the Crimson Tide.
"I'm not saying he's quite there yet, but Tim Williams reminds me a lot of our No. 56 in New York, Lawrence Taylor," Perkins told AL.com.
Perkins was with the Giants when they drafted Taylor with the No. 2 overall pick and coached the Hall of Fame linebacker for two seasons.
"Williams, right now, is an impact player that can do things Lawrence did," Perkins said. "How he comes off the edge, affects the pass protection, getting to the quarterback, chasing him down. You couldn't run away from Lawrence because he had the speed to chase you down. Williams has that kind of speed and he plays with that kind of passion."
While it will be difficult for Williams to match the impact of a three-time NFL defensive player of the year, he was considered by some to be the best pure pass-rusher in this draft outside of No. 1 overall pick Myles Garrett. Williams recorded 19.5 sacks in his final 29 games for Alabama.
The main reason why Williams lasted until No. 78 overall pick was his issues off the field. He was arrested for a misdemeanor gun charge in September, and he acknowledged that he has failed multiple drug tests.
Ravens officials explained they were willing to take him in the third round because they get good information from Alabama -- the school where general manager Ozzie Newsome starred -- and took into account what happened to him over the last 12 months. Williams became a father on March 16, when his daughter Zara was born.
"At the end of the day, when we were talking with him on the phone ... he will accept that challenge as to not allow that to happen," Newsome said. "But I can't sit here and guarantee it."
The Ravens were also impressed with how upfront Williams was about his mistakes during a recent pre-draft visit to Baltimore.
"Just me being a man, me being accountable and being responsible for everything that I have been through, everything that I have witnessed at Alabama," Williams said in a conference call after being drafted. "Just being open and honest, they saw that I was very truthful and that I was a very, very passionate guy. I'm not a liar -- I've never lied about anything -- and they really respected me for that."
Williams felt like he should've been taken earlier. He was a first-round pick in some mock drafts.
But he was never an every-down player in college. He only started three games in four seasons.
Baltimore, though, would be pleased if Williams was a disruptive force in the passing game, making life difficult for Ben Roethlisberger and Tom Brady.
The Ravens had eight games with one or fewer sacks last season, which were tied for second-most in the NFL, according to ESPN Stats & Information. Baltimore was 1-7 when recording one or fewer sacks and 7-1 when recording multiple sacks.
Plus, the Ravens are looking at a possible heir apparent to Suggs, the franchise's all-time sacks leader who turns 35 in October.
"He is a tenacious guy -- outstanding motor, outstanding physical skills as a pass-rusher," Ravens assistant general manager Eric DeCosta said. "He really fits our defense. He is a really good scheme fit for us as a 3-4 outside linebacker. Those guys are tough to find. We think he is hungry, and we think he is passionate. We feel really good about him."