James Williams (cornerback)

{{Short description|American football player and coach (born 1967)}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2024}}

{{Infobox NFL biography

| name = James Williams

| image = James Earl "J.D." Williams, Fresno Bulldogs.jpg

| caption = Williams in 2024

| current_team = Fresno State Bulldogs

| number =

| position = Cornerbacks coach

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1967|3|30}}

| birth_place = Osceola, Arkansas, U.S.

| height_ft = 5

| height_in = 10

| weight_lb = 185

| high_school = Coalinga (Coalinga, California)

| college = Fresno State

| draftyear = 1990

| draftround = 1

| draftpick = 16

| pastteams =

• Buffalo Bills ({{NFL Year|1990|1993}})
• Arizona Cardinals ({{NFL Year|1994}})
• Carolina Panthers ({{NFL Year|1995}})*{{cite book |title=49ers, 1996 Media Guide |page=138 |url=https://ia801605.us.archive.org/9/items/49ers-1996-media-guide-san-francisco-c/49ers%2C%201996%20Media%20Guide%20%28San%20Francisco%29%20%28C%29.pdf}}
• San Francisco 49ers ({{NFL Year|1996}})

| pastcoaching =

• Fresno State (1997)
  Graduate assistant
• Cal Poly (1998)
  Defensive backs
• San Jose State (1999)
  Defensive backs
• Fresno State (2000–2001)
  Defensive backs
• California (2002–2005)
  Defensive backs
• Washington (2006–2008)
  Defensive backs
• Utah (2009)
  Defensive backs
• UNLV (2010–2011)
  Assistant head coach/defensive backs
• UNLV (2012)
  Assistant head coach/defensive coordinator
• Georgia State (2013–2014)
  Special teams coordinator/defensive backs
• UNLV (2015–2016)
  Defensive backs
• Fresno State (2017–2019)
  Defensive backs
• Fresno State (2020–present)
  Cornerbacks

| highlights =

• PFWA All-Rookie Team (1990)
• Third-team All-American (1989)

| statlabel1 = Interceptions

| statvalue1 = 11

| statlabel2 = Forced fumbles

| statvalue2 = 1

| statlabel3 = Fumble recoveries

| statvalue3 = 4

| statlabel4 = Tackles

| statvalue4 = 134

| pfr = WillJa23

}}

James Earl "J.D." Williams (born March 30, 1967) is an American football coach and former cornerback who is the cornerbacks coach for the Fresno State Bulldogs. He played college football at Fresno State and was selected by the Buffalo Bills in the first round of the 1990 NFL draft.{{Cite web |title=1990 NFL Draft Listing |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/1990/draft.htm |access-date=2023-05-24 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}} Williams played in six NFL seasons, from 1990 to 1994 and 1996 for the Bills, Arizona Cardinals, and San Francisco 49ers.{{Cite web|url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/W/WillJa23.htm|title = James Williams Stats| website=Pro-Football-Reference.com }}

Williams was most notable for being the first player on the Buffalo Bills squad to don number 31, which had been "retired" to represent the spirit of the franchise. Since Williams wore the number, the Bills have allowed anyone to wear the 31 jersey; it was later worn by Dwayne Wright, who like Williams, went to Fresno State. Jairus Byrd wore the number before becoming a free agent; he used it because his college number, 32, was unofficially retired because of O. J. Simpson.

After retiring from football, Williams became a football coach beginning in 1997 as a graduate assistant at Fresno State.{{cite web|url=https://gobulldogs.com/sports/football/roster/coaches/j-d-williams/1155|title=J.D. Williams|publisher=Fresno State|access-date=November 18, 2020|date=January 15, 2020}}

{{NFL predraft

| height ft = 5

| height in = 9 7/8

| weight = 172

| dash = 4.34

| ten split = 1.55

| twenty split = 2.54

| shuttle = 4.03

| vertical = 38.0

| broad ft = 10

| broad in = 9

| bench = 9

| arm span = 29 3/4

| hand span = 8 1/4

}}