Dan Williams (defensive tackle)

Daniel Ellis Williams (born June 1, 1987) is an American former professional football player who was a defensive tackle in the National Football League (NFL). He was selected by the Arizona Cardinals in the first round of the 2010 NFL draft. He played college football for the Tennessee Volunteers. He has also played for the Oakland Raiders.

Dan Williams
Williams with the Raiders in 2015
No. 92, 90
Position:Defensive tackle
Personal information
Born: (1987-06-01) June 1, 1987
Memphis, Tennessee, U.S.
Height:6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
Weight:330 lb (150 kg)
Career information
High school:East (Memphis, Tennessee)
College:Tennessee (2005–2009)
NFL draft:2010 / Round: 1 / Pick: 26
Career history
Career highlights and awards
Career NFL statistics
Total tackles:222
Sacks:3.5
Fumble recoveries:2
Interceptions:1
Defensive touchdowns:1
Player stats at PFR

Early life

Williams attended Memphis East High School in Memphis, Tennessee. As a senior, he had 132 tackles, five sacks, four forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries.

Regarded as a three-star recruit by Rivals.com, Williams was ranked as the No. 35 defensive tackle in a class highlighted by DeMarcus Granger and Callahan Bright, and that also included Ndamukong Suh and Tyson Alualu.[1]

College career

Williams attended the University of Tennessee from 2005 to 2009.[2] As a senior, he was a second-team All-SEC selection by the league's coaches after recording 62 tackles and two sacks.[3] [4]

Professional career

Pre-draft

After a "tremendous" senior season, Williams was projected a first-round selection by Sports Illustrated.[5] He was ranked the third best defensive tackle available in the 2010 NFL draft, behind only Ndamukong Suh and Gerald McCoy.[6]

Pre-draft measurables
HeightWeightArm lengthHand span40-yard dash10-yard split20-yard split20-yard shuttleThree-cone drillVertical jumpBroad jumpBench press
6 ft 2 in
(1.88 m)
327 lb
(148 kg)
33+12 in
(0.85 m)
10+18 in
(0.26 m)
5.19 s1.75 s2.96 s4.87 s7.88 s32 in
(0.81 m)
8 ft 0 in
(2.44 m)
27 reps
All values from NFL Combine[7]

Arizona Cardinals

Williams was selected by the Arizona Cardinals in the first round with the 26th overall pick in the 2010 NFL draft.[8][9] He signed a 5-year, $10.335 million contract on August 2, 2010.[10] As a rookie Williams played in 15 games totaling 37 tackles and had two passes defended.[11] In 2011, Williams was the starting Nose Tackle. In his first career start against Carolina, Williams led the defensive line with 4 solo tackles including 1 for a loss. On November 20, 2011, in the 4th quarter against San Francisco, Williams broke his arm and was placed on injured reserve ending his season. Williams finished the season playing in 10 games (starting all 10), totaling 20 tackles, and 2 passes defended.[12] He appeared in 15 games with 11 starts in 2012 with 41 tackles on the season.[13] On September 8, 2013, Williams intercepted a pass from Sam Bradford and returned it two yards for a touchdown.[14] On September 21, 2013, his father died in a car accident, driving to New Orleans to see his son play.[15] In the 2013 season, Williams finished with one sack, 23 total tackles, one interception, and three passes defended.[16] In the 2014 season, Williams appeared in all 16 games and started nine. He finished with one sack, 32 total tackles, and one pass defended.[17]

Oakland Raiders

On March 11, 2015, Williams signed with the Oakland Raiders.[18][19] In the 2015 season, Williams finished with a half-sack, 48 total tackles, one pass defended, and one fumble recovery in 16 games and 15 starts.[20]

In the 2016 season, Williams appeared in 16 games and started 11. He finished with 17 total tackles, one pass defended, and a half-sack.[21]

On April 18, 2017, the Raiders released Williams.[22]

NFL statistics

YearTeamGPCOMBTOTALASTSACKFFFRFR YDSINTIR YDSAVG IRLNGTDPD
2010ARI153827110.0000000002
2011ARI10201460.0000000002
2012ARI154433110.0010000001
2013ARI14231581.0000122212
2014ARI163120111.0000000001
2015OAK164833151.0000000001
2016OAK16171160.5000000001
Career102221153683.50101222110

Personal life

Dan spends his offseason in Memphis, where he is a hands-on dad and husband to his eleven year-old daughter, McKayla and his wife Tia. Off the field, Dan is committed to serving others, especially in the areas of education and health and wellness, specifically preventing diabetes in the African American community with his Filling the Gaps Foundation. He is also an ambassador for the American Diabetes Association and is a member of Team Tackle,[23] work he dedicates to the memory of his late father who died in 2013.

References

  1. "Rivals.com: Defensive tackles, 2005". Rivals.com. Archived from the original on March 5, 2016. Retrieved April 19, 2014.
  2. "Dan Williams - Football". University of Tennessee Athletics. Retrieved March 9, 2024.
  3. Coaches Select All-SEC Team Archived June 19, 2010, at the Wayback Machine
  4. "Dan Williams College Stats, School, Draft, Gamelog, Splits". College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved March 9, 2024.
  5. "Dan Williams - 2010 Draft Tracker - SI.com". Archived from the original on April 24, 2012. Retrieved January 30, 2013.
  6. "View Draft by Positions - 2010 Draft Tracker - SI.com". Archived from the original on November 13, 2012. Retrieved January 30, 2013.
  7. "Hall of Football".
  8. "2010 NFL Draft Listing". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved May 13, 2023.
  9. "Cardinals take Dan Williams 26th overall". NBC Sports. April 22, 2010. Retrieved March 9, 2024.
  10. "Dan Williams".
  11. "Dan Williams 2010 Game Log". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved March 9, 2024.
  12. "Dan Williams 2011 Game Log". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved March 9, 2024.
  13. "Dan Williams 2012 Game Log". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved March 9, 2024.
  14. Strauss, Joe (September 15, 2013). "Strauss: Bradford has become Rams' closer". STLtoday.com. Retrieved March 9, 2024.
  15. Wilson, Ryan (September 22, 2013). "Father of Cardinals NT Dan Williams killed while driving to game". CBSSports.com. Archived from the original on September 26, 2013. Retrieved March 9, 2024.
  16. "Dan Williams 2013 Game Log". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved March 9, 2024.
  17. "Dan Williams 2014 Game Log". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved March 9, 2024.
  18. Rosenthal, Gregg (March 11, 2015). "Raiders pick up Curtis Lofton, Dan Williams for defense". NFL.com.
  19. "Raiders Sign DT Dan Williams". Raiders.com. March 11, 2015. Archived from the original on March 14, 2015. Retrieved March 12, 2015.
  20. "Dan Williams 2015 Game Log". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved March 9, 2024.
  21. "Dan Williams 2016 Game Log". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved March 9, 2024.
  22. Sessler, Marc (April 18, 2017). "Dan Williams released by Oakland Raiders". NFL.com. Retrieved April 18, 2017.
  23. "American Diabetes Association Joins with Professional Football Players to Launch". American Diabetes Association. Archived from the original on June 10, 2017. Retrieved June 23, 2017.
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