SANTA CLARA -- Unprompted, George Kittle had a message to get off his chest Thursday after 49ers practice: Put some respect on Trent Williams' name.
"The fact that Trent Williams is eighth in Pro Bowl voting I think is absolutely insane," Kittle said. "He's probably the most talented player in football."
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Somehow, Williams really was eighth among offensive tackles when the latest Pro Bowl vote totals were released on Dec. 9. Yeah, his numbers on the field are much, much better than his vote totals right now.
Through 12 games this season, Williams nearly has been a perfect player on the field. Literally.
Pro Football Focus has him down for a 99.0 overall grade ahead of the 49ers' Week 15 showdown with the Atlanta Falcons. He isn't only graded as the best offensive tackle in the NFL by a long shot, but he's also graded as the best overall player in all of football.
Williams has played 759 offensive snaps this season. He has allowed only one sack, has been called for holding three times and has been responsible for just five overall penalties. That's pure domination to the exact definition.
San Francisco 49ers
The easiest path to success this season has been running to Williams' side. There's just no way possible the 49ers, who are 7-6, would rank eighth in rushing yards per game without Williams, especially with how many injuries their backfield has been hit with so far.
"Trent Williams, the lack of respect Trent Williams gets I think is outrageous," Kittle said. "I know that he gets highlights posted every once in a while, but you just watch every single game, every single clip, he just physically dominates every single person that's across from him.
"And the fact that he's not talked about more, I think it's outrageous. He's a hell of a football player that needs way more recognition."
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Yes, the 11-year pro has been named to the Pro Bowl in his last eight straight seasons. But Williams hasn't been named an All-Pro yet. It's not like he just started owning the opposition, too.
If he stays healthy and keeps this up, Williams is all but guaranteed his first All-Pro nod and there really aren't enough ways to reward just how great he has been during his second season in San Francisco.