Duke Williams (wide receiver)

Last updated

Duke Williams
2023, 01, Duke Williams.jpg
Williams with the Tiger-Cats in 2023
Personal information
Born: (1993-05-13) May 13, 1993 (age 31)
Los Angeles, California, U.S. [1]
Height:6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
Weight:225 lb (102 kg)
Career information
High school: Reserve (LA) East St. John
College: Auburn
Position: Wide receiver
Undrafted: 2016
Career history
 * Offseason and/or practice squad member only
Career highlights and awards
Career NFL statistics
Receptions:12
Receiving yards:166
Receiving touchdowns:1
Career CFL statistics
Receptions:180
Receiving yards:3,059
Receiving touchdowns:20
Player stats at PFR  ·  CFL.ca

D'haquille "Duke" Williams (born May 13, 1993) is an American professional football wide receiver who is a free agent. He played college football at Auburn. After going undrafted and spending the 2016 offseason with the Los Angeles Rams, he made his professional debut in 2017 with the Edmonton Eskimos. Williams became one of the CFL's most dominant receiving threats, leading the league in receiving in 2018. Following his second season in the CFL, he returned to the United States for another shot at playing in the National Football League. He signed with the Buffalo Bills in 2019.

Contents

Early life

Williams attended East St. John High School in Reserve, Louisiana, where he played high school football. As a senior, he had 1,495 receiving yards and 25 touchdowns.

College career

Williams attended Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College from 2012 to 2013. In two years, he had 118 receptions for 2,028 yards and 26 touchdowns. [2]

Considered a five-star recruit by Rivals.com, [3] Williams was listed as the No. 1 junior college prospect in 2014. [4] He initially committed to Louisiana State University but changed to Auburn University. [5] [6]

In his first game at Auburn, Williams had nine receptions for 154 yards and a touchdown. [7] He was dismissed from Auburn on October 6, 2015, for an unidentified violation of team rules. William finished the 2015 season with 12 catches for 147 yards and one touchdown.

Professional career

Pre-draft measurables
HeightWeightArm lengthHand span 40-yard dash 10-yard split20-yard split 20-yard shuttle Three-cone drill Vertical jump Broad jump Bench press
6 ft 2+1⁄4 in
(1.89 m)		229 lb
(104 kg)		32+1⁄2 in
(0.83 m)		9+1⁄4 in
(0.23 m)		4.71 s1.65 s2.72 s4.47 s7.43 s30.5 in
(0.77 m)		10 ft 1 in
(3.07 m)		14 reps
All values from NFL Combine/Pro Day [8] [9]

Los Angeles Rams

On May 10, 2016, Williams signed a 3-year deal with the Los Angeles Rams as an undrafted free agent. On September 3, 2016, he was waived by the Rams as part of final roster cuts. [10]

Edmonton Eskimos

Williams signed with the Edmonton Eskimos of the Canadian Football League (CFL) before the 2017 season. Williams caught four passes for 110 yards and a touchdown against the BC Lions in his professional regular season debut. [11] Williams went on to have a strong first season in the CFL, catching 46 passes for 508 yards with two touchdowns. Williams became a star player in the CFL in 2018, earning a Top Performers of the Month designation for the months of June and July and ultimately finished the season with the most receiving yards in the league with 1,579. On January 5, 2019, Williams was released by the Edmonton Eskimos in order to pursue NFL opportunities. [12] [13]

Buffalo Bills

On January 7, 2019, Williams signed with the Buffalo Bills of the NFL. [14] Williams played in all four preseason games for the Bills, catching eight passes for 78 yards with two touchdowns. He was released during final roster cuts on August 31, 2019, and was signed to the practice squad the next day. [15] [16] On October 5, 2019, Williams was promoted to the active roster. [17] He caught 4 passes for 29 yards and the game winning touchdown in a 14–7 Bills win over the Tennessee Titans on October 6, 2019. [18] After suffering a shoulder injury against the Miami Dolphins in week 7, Williams was deactivated for the rest of the season until week 17 when the Bills rested numerous starters against the New York Jets, having already clinched a playoff berth. Williams caught six passes for 108 yards during the 13–6 loss. [19]

Williams was placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list by the Bills on July 29, 2020. [20] He was activated on August 9, 2020. [21] Williams was waived as part of final roster cuts on September 5, 2020, but was re-signed to the practice squad the next day. [22] He was elevated to the active roster on October 24 and January 8, 2021, for the team's week 7 and wild card playoff games against the New York Jets and Indianapolis Colts, and reverted to the practice squad after each game. [23] [24] On January 26, 2021, Williams signed a reserves/futures contract with the Bills. [25] He was waived/injured on August 23, 2021, and placed on injured reserve. [26] [27] On August 26 he was released from injured reserve with an injury settlement. [28]

Saskatchewan Roughriders

On October 4, 2021, Williams signed with the Saskatchewan Roughriders. [29] On February 5, 2022, Williams signed a one-year, $260,000 contract extension. [30] On July 20, 2022, the CFL announced that Williams had been suspended for one game after he took the helmet off of Toronto Argonauts defensive back Shaquille Richardson and threw it at him during warmups for the leagues Touchdown Atlantic game. [31] He became a free agent upon the expiry of his contract on February 14, 2023. [32]

Hamilton Tiger-Cats

On February 14, 2023, Williams signed with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. [33]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Michael Reilly (quarterback)</span> American gridiron football player (born 1985)

Michael Reilly is an American former football quarterback player who played in the Canadian Football League (CFL) for 11 seasons. He was the starting quarterback for the Edmonton Eskimos when they won the 103rd Grey Cup and was named the Grey Cup Most Valuable Player. He was originally signed by the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League (NFL) as an undrafted free agent in 2009. He played college football for the Central Washington Wildcats. He was named the CFL's Most Outstanding Player in 2017. Reilly has also been a member of the BC Lions of the CFL and the NFL's Pittsburgh Steelers, Green Bay Packers, St. Louis Rams and Seattle Seahawks.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jordan Matthews</span> American football player (born 1992)

Jordan Armand Matthews is an American professional football tight end for the Carolina Panthers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Vanderbilt and was selected by the Philadelphia Eagles in the second round of the 2014 NFL draft. Matthews started his NFL career as a wide receiver before switching positions after the 2020 season.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stefan Charles</span> Canadian gridiron football player (born 1988)

Stefan Charles is a Canadian former professional football player who was a defensive tackle in the National Football League (NFL) and Canadian Football League (CFL). He he played in the NFL from 2013 to 2019. He was the 10th overall draft pick for the 2013 CFL draft, where he was selected to the Edmonton Elks, formerly known as the Edmonton Eskimos of the Canadian Football League (CFL). He played CIS football with the Regina Rams.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Karlos Williams</span> American football player (born 1993)

Karlos Jermell Williams Sr. is a former American football running back. He was drafted by the Buffalo Bills in the fifth round of the 2015 NFL draft. He played college football at Florida State.

Deon L. Lacey is a former American football linebacker. He played college football at the University of West Alabama. He has been a member of the Dallas Cowboys, Edmonton Eskimos / Elks, Miami Dolphins, Buffalo Bills and Saskatchewan Roughriders.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marquise Williams</span> American gridiron football player (born 1992)

Marquise Javon Williams is a former American football quarterback. He played college football at North Carolina. Williams was signed by the Green Bay Packers as an undrafted free agent in 2016, later playing for the Saskatchewan Roughriders of the Canadian Football League (CFL), the San Antonio Commanders of the Alliance of American Football (AAF), and the New York Guardians of the XFL.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jonathan Williams (running back, born 1994)</span> American football player (born 1994)

Jonathan Williams is an American professional football running back who is a free agent. He played college football for the Arkansas Razorbacks and was selected by the Buffalo Bills in the fifth round of the 2016 NFL draft. Williams has also been a member of the Denver Broncos, New Orleans Saints, Indianapolis Colts, Detroit Lions, Washington Football Team / Commanders and New York Giants.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Quan Bray</span> American gridiron football player (born 1993)

Jaquan Tyreke Bray is an American professional football wide receiver who is a free agent. He played college football at Auburn, and signed with the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League (NFL) as an undrafted free agent in 2015. He has also been a member of the Buffalo Bills and Houston Texans of the NFL, the Birmingham Iron of the Alliance of American Football (AAF), and the Montreal Alouettes and Ottawa Redblacks of the Canadian Football League (CFL).

Trey Williams is an American professional football running back who is a free agent. He signed with the Washington Redskins as an undrafted free agent in 2015. Williams has also been a member of the Dallas Cowboys, New England Patriots, Miami Dolphins, Indianapolis Colts, Pittsburgh Steelers, Toronto Argonauts, San Antonio Commanders, Seattle Dragons, Calgary Stampeders, New Jersey Generals and Pittsburgh Maulers. He played college football for the Texas A&M Aggies.

Brandon Zylstra is a professional American football wide receiver and return specialist who is a free agent. He played college football at Concordia–Moorhead. After going undrafted in 2016, Zylstra signed with the Edmonton Eskimos of the Canadian Football League (CFL). He has also played for the Minnesota Vikings and Carolina Panthers.

Lance Lenoir is a former American football wide receiver. He played college football at Western Illinois.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chris Streveler</span> American gridiron football player (born 1995)

Christopher L. Streveler is an American professional football quarterback for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers of the Canadian Football League (CFL). He played college football at Minnesota and South Dakota. After going undrafted in 2018, Streveler played two seasons as a backup quarterback for the Blue Bombers, where they won the 107th Grey Cup championship in 2019. He has also been a member of the Arizona Cardinals, Baltimore Ravens, Miami Dolphins, and New York Jets.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cam Phillips</span> American gridiron football player (born 1995)

Cameron Darnell Phillips is an American professional football wide receiver who is a free agent. He played college football at Virginia Tech, where he is the all-time leader in receptions and receiving yards.

Preston Terrance Williams is an American football wide receiver for the Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Football League (CFL). He played college football at Colorado State. He has played in the National Football League (NFL) for the Miami Dolphins and Carolina Panthers.

Devlin Patrick Hodges, nicknamed "Duck", is an American former professional football quarterback. He played college football at Samford, after playing at Mortimer Jordan High School. He was signed by the Pittsburgh Steelers as an undrafted free agent in 2019. He was also a member of the Los Angeles Rams and Ottawa Redblacks.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nikola Kalinic (gridiron football)</span> Canadian gridiron football player (born 1997)

Nikola Kalinic is a Canadian professional football tight end for the Los Angeles Rams of the National Football League (NFL). He has previously played in the NFL for the Indianapolis Colts and in the Canadian Football League (CFL) for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Isaiah Hodgins</span> American football player (born 1998)

Isaiah Hodgins is an American professional football wide receiver for the New York Giants of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Oregon State and was drafted by the Buffalo Bills in the sixth round of the 2020 NFL draft.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Derrick Moncrief</span> American gridiron football player (born 1993)

Derrick Moncrief is an American professional football linebacker for the Edmonton Elks of the Canadian Football League (CFL).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bryan Scott (quarterback)</span> American gridiron football player (born 1995)

Bryan James Scott is an American professional football quarterback who is a free agent. He was most recently a member of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers of the Canadian Football League (CFL). He played college football at Occidental College. He also played for the Philadelphia Stars of the United States Football League (USFL) and the Toronto Argonauts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Antonio Williams (running back)</span> American football player (born 1997)

Antonio Williams is an American professional football running back who is a free agent. He played college football for the Ohio State Buckeyes and North Carolina.

References

  1. ↑ "Duke Williams grateful for chance with Rams as he tries to repair image". June 2, 2016.
  2. ↑ "Auburn football: Dynamic WR D'haquille Williams earning high marks this spring". Ledger-Enquirer.com. Archived from the original on April 17, 2014. Retrieved October 30, 2020.
  3. ↑ [ dead link ]
  4. ↑ "Yahoo Sports: Rivals.com Ranking - Rivals.com junior college postseason top 100 2014". Archived from the original on May 14, 2016. Retrieved January 14, 2017.
  5. ↑ Marcello, Brandon (October 3, 2014). "D'haquille Williams chose future over dark past when he picked Auburn over LSU". AL.com. Retrieved October 30, 2020.
  6. ↑ "Recruiting: No. 1 JuCo prospect D'haquille Williams has signed with Auburn". AL.com. December 18, 2013. Retrieved October 30, 2020.
  7. ↑ Marcello, Brandon (August 31, 2014). "D'haquille Williams shines in record-breaking debut, but Auburn teammates knew it was coming". AL.com. Retrieved October 30, 2020.
  8. ↑ "Duke Williams Draft and Combine Prospect Profile". NFL.com. Retrieved May 12, 2016.
  9. ↑ "2016 NFL Draft Scout Duke Williams College Football Profile". DraftScout.com. Retrieved April 16, 2023.
  10. ↑ "Rams Make 53-Man Roster Decisions". TheRams.com. September 3, 2016. Archived from the original on August 31, 2017.
  11. ↑ Campbell, Dave (July 25, 2017). "Edmonton Eskimos receiver Duke Williams showing more facets to his game". 630CHED. Retrieved July 27, 2017.
  12. ↑ "SHAW CFL TOP PERFORMERS – JUNE" . Retrieved October 2, 2018.
  13. ↑ "SHAW CFL TOP PERFORMERS – JULY" . Retrieved October 2, 2018.
  14. ↑ Brown, Chris (January 7, 2019). "Bills sign CFL's leading receiver Duke Williams". BuffaloBills.com. Retrieved October 30, 2020.
  15. ↑ Brown, Chris (August 31, 2019). "Bills cut roster down to 53 players". BuffaloBills.com. Retrieved October 30, 2020.
  16. ↑ Brown, Chris (September 1, 2019). "Bills begin to assemble practice squad, Christian Wade holds 11th exempt spot". BuffaloBills.com. Retrieved October 30, 2020.
  17. ↑ Brown, Chris (October 5, 2019). "Bills elevate WR Duke Williams to active roster". BuffaloBills.com. Retrieved October 30, 2020.
  18. ↑ Filipowski, Nick (October 6, 2019). "Williams scores game-winning TD in NFL debut". News 4 Buffalo. Retrieved October 6, 2019.
  19. ↑ Gelber, Brad (December 29, 2019). "Duke Williams aims to show he belongs in the playoffs". Bills Wire. Retrieved December 30, 2019.
  20. ↑ Gaughan, Mark (July 29, 2020). "Duke Williams, Vincent Taylor go on Covid list, Cole Beasley on injured list". BuffaloNews.com. Retrieved July 29, 2020.
  21. ↑ "Bills activate Duke Williams". BuffaloBills.com. August 9, 2020. Retrieved August 11, 2020.
  22. ↑ "Duke Williams: Circles back to practice squad". CBSSports.com. September 6, 2020. Retrieved September 6, 2020.
  23. ↑ "Bills place four players on the Reserve/COVID-19 list; four players elevated from practice squad". BuffaloBills.com. October 24, 2020. Retrieved November 5, 2020.
  24. ↑ "Bills elevate Duke Williams and Jordan Devey for Saturday's Wild Card playoff game". Buffalo Bills Official Website. January 8, 2021. Retrieved January 12, 2021.
  25. ↑ "Bills signed these 13 players to reserve/future contracts". Buffalobills.com. January 26, 2021. Archived from the original on January 26, 2021. Retrieved January 27, 2021.
  26. ↑ Glab, Maddy (August 23, 2021). "Bills sign RB Kerrith Whyte and CB Tim Harris". Buffalo Bills. Retrieved October 14, 2024.
  27. ↑ Capaccio, Sal (August 24, 2021). "Report: Isaiah McKenzie to have MRI on shoulder". Audacy. WGR550. Retrieved August 25, 2021.
  28. ↑ Fitzgerald, Katherine (August 26, 2021). "Observations: Josh Allen readies for lone preseason start". Buffalo News. Retrieved August 27, 2021. The Bills released wide receiver Duke Williams and offensive lineman Forrest Lamp from injured reserve with injury settlements, per the league's transaction report.
  29. ↑ "Report: WR Dhaquille 'Duke' Williams headed to Riders". Canadian Football League. October 4, 2021.
  30. ↑ Washington, Matthew (February 5, 2022). "Roughriders bring back Duke Williams on reported 1-year, $260K deal". The Score. Retrieved July 3, 2022.
  31. ↑ TSN ca Staff (July 20, 2022). "Roughriders' Williams suspended one game - TSN.ca". TSN. Retrieved July 21, 2022.
  32. ↑ "Transactions – Football player trades and signings". Canadian Football League . Retrieved March 25, 2023.
  33. ↑ "Heading to Hamilton: Ticats sign Duke Williams". Canadian Football League. February 14, 2023.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.