Tony Boselli did not think long when asked which player at his old position stands out among the NFL’s current players.
“My favorite tackle in today’s game is Trent Williams,” Boselli told Clark Judge and Ira Kaufman on The Eye Test for Two podcast. “Love him. I love how he plays. He’s physical. He has a nastiness.”
Boselli was a dominating left tackle during his career with the Jacksonville Jaguars. He was recently elected into the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2022,
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He sees every team in the NFL at least once annually in person with his job as the lead analyst for Thursday night games on Westwood One. In Boselli's study of all the teams, Williams stands out as the best active player at what he does.
Williams, 33, started 15 games for the 49ers last season. He had what is widely considered the best season of his 11-year career. He was selected to his ninth Pro Bowl and was honored as a first-team All-Pro.
The 49ers acquired Williams in a 2020 trade with Washington after Joe Staley informed the team of his decision to retire. Williams sat out the previous season as he battled a health scare with a cancerous tumor on his scalp.
After an impressive first season with the 49ers, the sides agreed on a six-year, $138 million contract as a free agent last year.
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Williams, who is listed at 6-foot-5, 320 pounds, combines his size with extreme athleticism and a bit of a mean streak.
“You could play the game differently when I played the game,” Boselli said. “I would get guys on the ground and just go maul them. If you do that today, you might get a fine and thrown in jail because of the way the game is officiated.
“But Trent Williams, he presses the envelope. He’s a great pass blocker. He’s big and athletic, and he’s also a really physical run blocker. He finishes guys. He’s my favorite left tackle in the game today.”