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Bills Top 20 Talents: No 16 - S Aaron Williams

Bills Top 20 Talents: No 16 - S Aaron Williams
Posted at 12:03 PM, Jun 02, 2016
and last updated 2016-06-02 12:03:19-04

In under two months, the Buffalo Bills will get to work at St. John Fisher College for training camp and the 2016 season. And this year, with how the team ended things in 2015, is extremely important to not waste the talent that exists on the roster.

So, as offseason workouts continue at One Bills Drive, WKBW will preview the roster — and more specifically, the top talent that exists on the roster that can help the Bills to putting an end to the playoff drought. You’ll be introduced to the Bills’ ‘Top 20 Talents.’

It's a bit of a different 'most talented' list, because it also takes other factors into consideration. The countdown criteria:

- Overall skill level
- On-the-field performance
- Projection based on film study over the past several years
- Age, and improving/declining ability

With that written, on to the countdown:

No. 16 - S Aaron Williams

Age: 26 (4/23/90)

Height: 6’1”

Weight: 230

Last year’s rank: 11

Why he’s here

- Since Aaron Williams made the switch from cornerback to safety, he started to realize his potential impact for the team. The Bills signed him to long-term, projection-based contract in the hopes that his abilities would take off. Over the course of his first two seasons at safety, Williams certainly looked the part flashing instincts, tackling ability, and a nose for the football. Last year, though, Williams suffered a neck injury that put his career in jeopardy. He even admitted that he wasn't sure if he'd be able to play again. However, the Bills have gotten good reports and he's back working out with the team in the offseason. At 26 years old, Williams still has years in front of him, as he hopes to get back to his ball-hawking ways that he flashed during the 2013 season (four interceptions).

2016 outlook

- There is still a fair amount of uncertainty on Williams, which is why he dropped five spots from last year's Top 20 rankings. The Bills have said they won't know for sure on Williams until he delivers his first hit during training camp and the preseason. Everyone involved is hopeful that he'll be able to take his starting spot and run with it, but it's not a guarantee until that event happens. If his neck reacts well to the physicality of the game, Williams will be the best safety on the roster and has the ability to be a difference maker from the safety position. If that all happens, expect his ranking to go up in 2017.

Top 20 Talents Countdown

16) S Aaron Williams

17) HB Karlos Williams

18) P Colton Schmidt

19) LB Preston Brown

20) S Corey Graham

Twitter: @JoeBuscaglia