The New York Jets have selected Southern California defensive tackle Leonard Williams, who played at Mainland High School in Daytona Beach, with the sixth overall pick in the NFL draft Thursday night.

Williams, who had 20 sacks in three seasons with the Trojans, adds to new coach Todd Bowles' already solid defensive line that includes fellow first-rounders Muhammad Wilkerson and Sheldon Richardson.

New general manager Mike Maccagnan had said he would talk to the teams ahead and after the Jets about possible trade scenarios, but New York stayed put and took a player whom many considered the best overall talent in the draft.

The selection marked the sixth straight season the Jets have taken a defensive player with their first pick.

Williams tweeted after his selection:

The Jets welcomed Williams to the team via Twitter:

An annual tradition stayed right on track when the Jets selected defensive tackle William: Fans booed.

It's been going on for as long as anyone can remember, only this time, the draft was in Chicago, not the Jets' hometown.

Accounting for at least some of the booing may be the fact that the hometown Bears were up next, and their fans, who made up the majority of the crowd at the auditorium, would've loved to see Williams drop another spot.

No luck.

The way Williams sees it, getting ready to play in the NFL won't be much of a problem.

"USC really prepared me," he said. "They're almost an NFL program, in college."

The Jets used their pick on a player who was rated one, two or three by a number of the draft experts.

Time will tell if it was a bargain.

But Williams already sounds like he knows what's important about playing for the Jets. He's got a bunch of pictures on his wall of the Patriots with lines crossed through them.

"I hope that's the first sack of my career, against Tom Brady," he said.

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AP National Writer Eddie Pells reported from Chicago.