Dee Williams (American football)
{{Short description|American football player (born 1999)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2024}}
{{Other people|Dee Williams|Dee Williams (disambiguation){{!}}Dee Williams}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| name = Dee Williams
| image =
| image_size =
| alt =
| caption =
| number = 33
| current_team = New York Giants
| position = Cornerback
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1999|12|6}}
| birth_place = Forsyth, Georgia, U.S.
| death_date =
| death_place =
| height_ft = 5
| height_in = 10
| weight_lb = 190
| high_school = Mary Persons
(Forsyth, Georgia)
| college = East Central CC (2019–2021)
Tennessee (2022–2023)
| undraftedyear = 2024
| pastteams =
- Seattle Seahawks ({{NFL Year|2024}})
- New York Giants ({{NFL Year|2024}}–present)
| status = Active
| highlights =
| statseason = 2024
| statweek = 16
| statlabel1 = Receptions
| statvalue1 =
| statlabel2 = Receiving yards
| statvalue2 =
| statlabel3 = Receiving touchdowns
| statvalue3 =
| statlabel4 = Return yards
| statvalue4 = 388
| pfr = WillDe11
}}
Desmond Zy'ion "Dee" Williams (born December 6, 1999) is an American professional football cornerback and return specialist for the New York Giants of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the East Central Community College Warriors and the Tennessee Volunteers. He previously played for the Seattle Seahawks.
Early life
Williams attended high school at Mary Persons. Williams decided to commit to play college football at East Central Community College.{{cite web |title=Dee Williams - East Central CC (JUCO) |url=https://247sports.com/player/dee-williams-46128042/junior-college-272937/ |website=247Sports |access-date=8 June 2024}}{{cite web |title=Desmond Williams |url=https://ecccathletics.com/sports/fball/2019-20/bios/williams_desmond_s8he |website=East Central University Athletics |access-date=8 June 2024}}
College career
= East Central CC =
During Williams three year career at East Central CC, he totaled 103 tackles and 13 interceptions.{{cite web |title=Dee Williams |url=https://utsports.com/sports/football/roster/dee-williams/19062 |website=Tennessee University Athletics |access-date=8 June 2024}}
= Tennessee =
Coming out of JUCO, Williams decided to commit to play Division I football for the Tennessee Volunteers.{{cite web |last1=Warren |first1=Peter |title=JUCO CB Desmond 'Dee' Williams commits to Tennessee |url=https://www.on3.com/college/tennessee-volunteers/news/juco-cb-desmond-dee-williams-commits-to-tennessee/ |website=On3.com |date=7 December 2021 |access-date=8 June 2024}}{{Cite web |last=Harralson |first=Dan |date=15 December 2021 |title=Dee Williams signs with Tennessee |url=https://volswire.usatoday.com/2021/12/15/dee-williams-signs-with-tennessee-vols-football-recruiting/ |access-date=8 June 2024 |website=Vols Wire|publisher=USA Today}} During the 2022 season, Williams notched five tackles, a forced fumble, while also returning 15 punts for 281 yards and a touchdown.{{cite magazine |last1=Smith |first1=Corbin |title=Seattle Seahawks 90-Man Roundup: Can Dee Williams Provide Special Teams Spark |url=https://www.si.com/nfl/seahawks/seahawks-news/seattle-seahawks-90-man-roundup-dee-williams-special-teams-spark |magazine=Sports Illustrated |date=23 May 2024 |access-date=8 June 2024}}{{cite web |title=Dee Williams 2022 Game Logs |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/players/dee-williams-1/gamelog/2022/ |website=Sports Reference |access-date=8 June 2024}} In week seven of the 2023 season, Williams returned a punt for a touchdown to help the Volunteers beat Texas A&M 20-13.{{cite web |last1=Ramey |first1=Grant |title=Tennessee's Dee Williams learning 'a whole new side of the football' with move to receiver |url=https://www.on3.com/teams/tennessee-volunteers/news/tennessee-vols-football-dee-williams-offense-learning-move/ |website=On3.com |date=9 November 2023 |access-date=8 June 2024}} Mid way through the 2023 season, Williams made the shift from playing defensive back to wide receiver for Tennessee.{{cite web |last1=Sylvla |first1=Ryan |title=Vols' Dee Williams makes anticipated debut on offensive side of the ball |url=https://tennessee.rivals.com/news/vols-dee-williams-makes-anticipated-debut-on-offensive-side-of-the-ball?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAJ1NYWsEm1f_aCaubl4q99BBLnBozJjJO4DbvKx9wgIFvTB_COz6x-ZSSvp7Hc60bGjkRoYm5cueyE5s4g_Xx0V0yJxj_gvNnjA_xRlyLScV2ZxymuqZCc9IyThrSgyM1l2CVFJYoOMmXGKfL4KkXRKbj9_Q10YJGE2CarhT43qc |website=Rivals.com |date=4 November 2023 |access-date=8 June 2024}} In his first game at receiver, Williams hauled in one reception for 11 yards in a win over UConn Huskies.{{cite web |last1=Wilson |first1=Mike |title=Dee Williams makes debut on offense for Tennessee football vs UConn |url=https://www.knoxnews.com/story/sports/college/university-of-tennessee/football/2023/11/04/dee-williams-offense-tennessee-football-uconn/71186973007/ |website=Knoxville News Sentinel |date=4 November 2023 |access-date=8 June 2024}} During the 2023 season, Williams made two catches for ten yards, two tackles, and returned 20 punts for 259 yards and a touchdown.{{cite web |last1=Ragan |first1=Zach |title=Seattle Seahawks landed a secret weapon after the 2024 NFL Draft and no one seemed to notice |url=https://atozsports.com/seattle/seattle-seahawks-football-2024-nfl-draft-tennessee-vols-williams/ |website=AtoZ Sports |date=May 2024 |access-date=8 June 2024}}{{cite web |title=Dee Williams 2023 Game Logs |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/players/dee-williams-1/gamelog/2023/ |website=Sports Reference |access-date=8 June 2024}}
Professional career
{{NFL predraft
| height ft = 5
| height in = 10 1/2
| weight = 190
| dash = 4.56
| ten split = 1.65
| twenty split = 2.65
| shuttle = 4.37
| cone drill = 7.35
| vertical = 30.5
| broad ft = 9
| broad in = 6
| bench =
| arm span = 30 3/4
| hand span = 9 1/8
| note = All values from Pro Day{{Cite web |url=https://draftscout.com/dsprofile.php?PlayerId=1059086&DraftYear=2024 |title=2024 NFL Draft Scout Dee Williams College Football Profile |website=DraftScout.com |access-date=June 4, 2024}}
}}
=Seattle Seahawks=
Williams signed with the Seattle Seahawks as an undrafted free agent on May 3, 2024.{{cite web|title=Seahawks Sign 16 Undrafted Free Agents|url=https://www.seahawks.com/news/seahawks-sign-16-undrafted-free-agents|author=Boyle, John|website=Seahawks.com|date=May 3, 2024}}{{cite magazine |last1=Crowell |first1=Evan |title=Dee Williams Signs With Seattle Seahawks |url=https://www.si.com/college/tennessee/football/dee-williams-signs-with-seattle-seahawks |magazine=Sports Illustrated |date=5 May 2024 |access-date=8 June 2024}}
On July 18, 2024, Williams was placed on the Active/Non-football injury or illness (NFI) list.{{cite web | last=Boyle | first=John | title=Seahawks Place Seven On Physically Unable To Perform List Ahead Of 2024 Training Camp | website=Seahawks.com| date=2024-07-18 | url=https://www.seahawks.com/news/seahawks-place-seven-on-physically-unable-to-perform-list-ahead-of-2024-training-camp | access-date=2024-07-22}} On July 19, he was removed from the NFI list after he passed his physical.{{cite web | last=Gilbert | first=John | title=Injury Update: Seahawks rookie WR Dee Williams passes physical | website=Field Gulls | date=2024-07-19 | url=https://www.fieldgulls.com/2024/7/19/24202211/injury-update-seattle-seahawks-rookie-wr-dee-williams-passes-physical | access-date=2024-11-04}} He was among the 53 players to make the Seahawks roster out of the preseason. On December 5, Williams was waived.{{cite web |last1=Boyle |first1=John |title=Seahawks Claim WR Jaelon Darden Off Waivers, Waive CB Dee Williams |url=https://www.seahawks.com/news/seahawks-claim-wr-jaelon-darden-off-waivers-waive-cb-dee-williams |website=Seahawks.com |access-date=6 December 2024}}
=New York Giants=
On December 6, 2024, Williams was claimed off waivers by the New York Giants.{{cite web |last1=Benton |first1=Dan |title=Giants claim return man Dee Williams off waivers from Seahawks |url=https://giantswire.usatoday.com/2024/12/07/new-york-giants-claim-dee-williams-off-waivers-seattle-seahawks/ |website=Giants Wire |access-date=7 December 2024}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [https://ecccathletics.com/sports/fball/2019-20/bios/williams_desmond_s8he East Central CC Warriors bio]
- [https://utsports.com/sports/football/roster/dee-williams/19062 Tennessee Volunteers bio]
- [https://www.seahawks.com/team/players-roster/dee-williams/ Seattle Seahawks bio]
{{New York Giants roster navbox}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Williams, Dee}}
Category:East Central Warriors football players
Category:Tennessee Volunteers football players
Category:Players of American football from Georgia (U.S. state)
Category:People from Forsyth, Georgia
Category:American football cornerbacks
Category:American football defensive backs
Category:American football wide receivers
Category:American football return specialists