Dorian Williams in the Hoecht/Lorax role?

[BullBuchanan]

I think people underestimate the responsibilities of the role that Hoecht had. Why doesn't every team have a guy doing that?

In addition to needing to be an athletic freak, you also need to be extremely smart. Your responsibilities may shift on the fly and you need to be able to shift from pass to Run in an instant. Hoecht went to Brown where he studied business and economics (one of the top business schools in the country) and tutored calculus. Alexander went to Cal-Berkley where he studied Law (one of the top law schools in the country).

I'm not saying Dorian is a dummy. He didn't take a classic athlete type major (Tulane - Homeland Security Studies ?), but I'm just saying that there's a pattern of really bright dudes playing that spot, and I'm not sure I've seen him pop off the screen with diagnosing plays throughout his career.

[boyst]

3 hours ago, noacls17 said:

Training camp interview on gr he sd he was 267 

The difference from 267 and 300 is substantial, but body fat percentage wise at 300 lb I would estimate he was 20+% bf.

Down to 267 if you could even get down to 16% that is significant.  To go from 300 lb. At 22% bf to 267 can be done by simply cutting mass and only a little muscle. 300# is a lot to maintain. 

Getting to 15% is all he needed to do; with the ratio of losing skeletal muscle being about 3-6% lost.

 

The difference between 260 and 300 in the NFL isn't as big as 210 vs 240. 

[billsfan89]

6 minutes ago, BullBuchanan said:

I think people underestimate the responsibilities of the role that Hoecht had. Why doesn't every team have a guy doing that?

In addition to needing to be an athletic freak, you also need to be extremely smart. Your responsibilities may shift on the fly and you need to be able to shift from pass to Run in an instant. Hoecht went to Brown where he studied business and economics (one of the top business schools in the country) and tutored calculus. Alexander went to Cal-Berkley where he studied Law (one of the top law schools in the country).

I'm not saying Dorian is a dummy. He didn't take a classic athlete type major (Tulane - Homeland Security Studies ?), but I'm just saying that there's a pattern of really bright dudes playing that spot, and I'm not sure I've seen him pop off the screen with diagnosing plays throughout his career.

 

Only thing I can say about Dorian is that he's been in the system for 3 years. He's also played a good chunk of snaps given Milano's health. So he's at the very least got experience within the system and at the NFL level. The thing with Dorian is that he's not going to be able to line up in all of the same places as Hoecht. What made Hoecht such a good Lorax type was that he could line up anywhere along the D-line or as a blitzing OLB. Dorian can only really line up at LB or as a stand up DE. So McD is going to have to make other adjustments and utilize other players like Williams and Solomon to get some of that flexibility. I also wonder if they have been trying to get Landon Jackson into some sort of a role as he's bigger like Hoecht but maybe just too raw to contribute this year? 

[boyst]

1 hour ago, BullBuchanan said:

I think people underestimate the responsibilities of the role that Hoecht had. Why doesn't every team have a guy doing that?

In addition to needing to be an athletic freak, you also need to be extremely smart. Your responsibilities may shift on the fly and you need to be able to shift from pass to Run in an instant. Hoecht went to Brown where he studied business and economics (one of the top business schools in the country) and tutored calculus. Alexander went to Cal-Berkley where he studied Law (one of the top law schools in the country).

I'm not saying Dorian is a dummy. He didn't take a classic athlete type major (Tulane - Homeland Security Studies ?), but I'm just saying that there's a pattern of really bright dudes playing that spot, and I'm not sure I've seen him pop off the screen with diagnosing plays throughout his career.

Anything law enforcement in college is an academic athletic Field. It's not that hard

[VW82]

I am very dubious Willams can pull this off.  We have no one to replace Hoecht imo. Very tough loss. 

[harmonkillebrew]

Solomon is who they tried to have play Hoecht's role before and after.  

Dorian could give it a shot, but I don't think he has the strength or arm violence to cause havoc in the same way.

Too bad they didn't get a guy at the deadline. Not sure what other internal candidates there are. Groot supposedly had some interior rush skills coming out

5 hours ago, BullBuchanan said:

I think people underestimate the responsibilities of the role that Hoecht had. Why doesn't every team have a guy doing that?

In addition to needing to be an athletic freak, you also need to be extremely smart. Your responsibilities may shift on the fly and you need to be able to shift from pass to Run in an instant. Hoecht went to Brown where he studied business and economics (one of the top business schools in the country) and tutored calculus. Alexander went to Cal-Berkley where he studied Law (one of the top law schools in the country).

I'm not saying Dorian is a dummy. He didn't take a classic athlete type major (Tulane - Homeland Security Studies ?), but I'm just saying that there's a pattern of really bright dudes playing that spot, and I'm not sure I've seen him pop off the screen with diagnosing plays throughout his career.

Lorax and Hoecht are also similar in that they started out as big, beefy Linemen and then trimmed down while maintaining incredible play strength. 

 

[ganesh]

On 11/7/2025 at 3:02 AM, GunnerBill said:

I am open to the idea. Dorian's issue at linebacker is his play recognition, lane discipline and positioning. Get him lined up on or close to the line of scrimmage on passing downs and just use his physical gifts going forward. That is kind of how we used Lorax under Sean in 2017 and 2018. 

They will probably use a TE all day to block him. 

[GunnerBill]

21 minutes ago, ganesh said:

They will probably use a TE all day to block him. 

 

Hard to do that if he lines up in the A gap.

[wppete]

Would love to see it. I also think Javon Salomon has the build, athleticism and aggression for that role.   

[Max Fischer]

Dorian needs to gain about 20-25 pounds to take on a lineman.  He's quick, but lacks the elite speed necessary to evade blocks. 

[Turf Toejam 34]

23 minutes ago, wppete said:

Would love to see it. I also think Javon Salomon has the build, athleticism and aggression for that role.   

But not the intelligence----run play action he may be hosed.