Williams set to play for Seahawks Big choice: Seattle unearthed Jesse Williams in the fifth round with pick 137. It wasn't the NFL draft position Jesse Williams had hoped for, but already the new Seattle Seahawk is being referred to as "Tha Steal" rather than "Tha Monstar" in his new west coast home. The 22-year-old Brisbane giant was tipped as a long-shot first-round prospect, or a strong chance to be picked up in the second, before sliding down the draft until the Seahawks unearthed him in the fifth round with pick 137. A knee injury that recently required minor surgery was one of the reasons franchises stayed away from Williams, a 191-centimetre, 145-kilogram defensive tackle who was a key part of two national championships at the University of Alabama, one of the most decorated college football programs in the US. Teams from San Francisco to Green Bay to Baltimore were mentioned as potential suitors pre-draft, while Williams appeared well off the radar for the Seahawks. But Seattle general manager John Schneider did a double-take when Williams was still on the board after 136 picks. "For us, he was sitting alone," Schneider said. Seattle Times sports columnist Jerry Brewer said the Seahawks may have found a jewel, describing Williams as a steal who could even start on a potential Super Bowl team if he rose to the occasion. There wasn't any pre-draft chatter about Williams as a potential pick, but the reaction to his selection, for the most part, was, 'Wow, why was a defensive tackle of his calibre, who played at Alabama, available in the fifth round?' The Seahawks need help on the defensive line and fans were excited to see him available," said Brewer, who wrote in his newspaper column: "You simply don't find defensive linemen this big, this agile and this accomplished with the 137th overall pick, even if there are injury concerns. Clearly, the rest of the NFL has a blind spot when it comes to scouting Australian players. It was the knee injury that turned off teams, but the Seahawks have fewer concerns, Brewer said, while the sheer athleticism and physique of the hulking nose tackle made it worth taking a punt. From what I've heard, there's a concern that Jesse's career could be cut short because of knee problems. They think they can get a lot of productive years out of him. In the fifth round, he was well worth the risk. You don't find players with Jesse's talent in the fifth round very often," Brewer said. ■ Punter Brad Wing also continued the Down Under tradition at the Philadelphia Eagles. It was a longer wait for Wing, who had a tumultuous time at Louisiana State University, and the other big Australian boot in the draft, University of Hawaii punter Alex Dunnachie. After seven rounds and 254 players were drafted on Saturday, Wing and Dunnachie were left without teams. But, just as the lights went out in Manhattan's Radio City Music Hall, a rash of new deals erupted for the leftovers. The Eagles made a call to Melbourne-born Wing, who was rated as the top punter in the draft, although some off-field indiscretions while at LSU had him red flagged by some NFL teams. "So glad the Philadelphia Eagles have given me the opportunity to fulfill my dreams," Wing tweeted. The Eagles have a history of hiring Australian punters, with Mat McBriar in the team last year and former AFL star Saverio Rocca, who now punts for the Washington Redskins, played with Philadelphia from 2007 to 2010. Dunnachie's NFL dreams are not over and he will seek out a free-agent contract. With Dan Nancarrow, aap