Rodarius Williams
{{Short description|American football player (born 1996)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2021}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| name = Rodarius Williams
| image =
| image_size =
| alt =
| caption =
| current_team =
| number =
| position = Cornerback
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1996|9|12}}
| birth_place = Shreveport, Louisiana, U.S.
| death_date =
| death_place =
| height_ft = 6
| height_in = 0
| weight_lb = 195
| high_school = Calvary Baptist Academy {{nowrap|(Shreveport, Louisiana)}}
| college = Oklahoma State (2016–2020)
| draftyear = 2021
| draftround = 6
| draftpick = 201
| pastteams =
- New York Giants ({{NFL Year|2021}}–{{NFL Year|2022}})
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers ({{NFL Year|2023}})*
| status =
| highlights =
- Second-team All-Big 12 (2020)
| statleague =
| statseason =
| statweek =
| statlabel1 = Total tackles
| statvalue1 = 16
| statlabel2 = Sacks
| statvalue2 =
| statlabel3 = Interceptions
| statvalue3 = 1
| statlabel4 = Pass deflections
| statvalue4 = 2
| statlabel5 = Forced fumbles
| statvalue5 =
| statlabel6 = Fumble recoveries
| statvalue6 =
| pfr = WillRo07
}}
Rodarius Lee Williams (born September 12, 1996) is an American professional football cornerback. He played college football at Oklahoma State.
Early life
Williams grew up in Shreveport, Louisiana and attended Calvary Baptist Academy.{{cite web|url=https://www.shreveporttimes.com/story/sports/2019/07/04/williams-brothers-deliver-shreveport-once-again/1651490001/|title=Williams brothers deliver for Shreveport once again|work=The Times|date=July 4, 2019}}
College career
Williams was a member of the Oklahoma State Cowboys for five seasons, redshirting as a true freshman. He became a starter going into his redshirt freshman year.{{cite web|url=https://oklahoman.com/article/5670759/osu-footballs-rodarius-williams-is-a-rarity-as-a-four-year-starting-cornerback-i-feel-like-a-daddy-out-there|title=OSU football's Rodarius Williams is a rarity as a four-year starting cornerback: 'I feel like a daddy out there'|work=The Oklahoman|date=September 3, 2020}} Williams was named second-team All-Big 12 Conference as a redshirt senior after allowing only nine pass completions and breaking up seven passes.{{cite web|url=https://oklahoman.com/article/5678305/osu-football-rodarius-williams-opts-to-prepare-for-nfl-draft|title=OSU football: Rodarius Williams opts to prepare for NFL Draft|work=The Oklahoman|first=Scott|last=Wright|date=December 14, 2020}}
Professional career
{{NFL predraft
| height ft = 5
| height in = 11 3/4
| weight = 189
| dash = 4.52
| ten split = 1.56
| twenty split = 2.57
| shuttle = 4.18
| cone drill = 6.95
| vertical = 36.5
| broad ft = 10
| broad in = 3
| bench = 14
| arm span = 31 1/2
| hand span = 9 1/8
| note = All values from Pro Day{{Cite web |url=https://www.nfl.com/prospects/rodarius-williams/32005749-4c50-6648-4e60-3e5913e2e410 |title=Rodarius Williams Draft and Combine Prospect Profile |website=NFL.com |access-date=November 24, 2022}}{{Cite web |url=https://draftscout.com/dsprofile.php?PlayerId=1023924&DraftYear=2021 |title=2021 Draft Scout Rodarius Williams, Oklahoma State NFL Draft Scout College Football Profile |website=draftscout.com |access-date=November 24, 2022}}{{Cite web |url=https://insider.espn.com/nfl/draft/player/_/id/105196 |title=Rodarius Williams 2021 NFL Draft Profile |website=insider.espn.com |access-date=November 24, 2022}}
}}
=New York Giants=
In the 2021 NFL draft, Williams was drafted in the sixth round (201st overall) by the New York Giants.{{cite web|title=Giants draft Oklahoma State CB Rodarius Williams|url=https://www.giants.com/news/rodarius-williams-nfl-draft-oklahoma-state-cornerback|website=Giants.com|date=May 1, 2021}} On May 13, 2021, Williams officially signed with the Giants.{{Cite web|url=https://www.profootballrumors.com/2021/05/giants-sign-second-round-de-azeez-ojulari#ref=home|title = Giants Sign Second-Round DE Azeez Ojulari}} He suffered a torn ACL in Week 5 and was ruled out for the season.{{cite web|title=Giants announce Rodarius Williams tore his ACL|url=https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2021/10/11/giants-announce-rodarius-williams-tore-his-acl/|author=Alper, Josh|work=Pro Football Talk|publisher=NBC Sports|date=October 11, 2021}}
On August 31, 2022, Williams was placed on injured reserve.{{cite web|title=Giants place Shane Lemieux, two others on IR|url=https://giantswire.usatoday.com/2022/08/31/new-york-giants-place-shane-lemieux-elerson-smith-rodarius-williams-on-ir/|author=Fennelly, John|website=Giantswire.com|date=August 31, 2022}} He was activated on November 14.{{cite web|title=DL Henry Mondeaux signed off practice squad; CB Rodarius Williams activated|url=https://www.giants.com/news/roster-henry-mondeaux-rodarius-williams-devery-hamilton-justin-layne|author=Eisen, Michael|website=Giants.com|date=November 14, 2022}} Williams recorded his first career interception off of Dak Prescott in a Week 12 loss to the Dallas Cowboys.{{Cite web |title=Giants 20-28 Cowboys (Nov 24, 2022) Box Score |url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/boxscore/_/gameId/401437858 |access-date=2023-08-05 |website=ESPN |language=en}}
On August 19, 2023, Williams was released.{{Cite web |title=Giants waive CB Rodarius Williams |url= https://giantswire.usatoday.com/2023/08/19/new-york-giants-waive-cb-rodarius-williams-greedy-eagles/|access-date=2023-08-19 |website=giantswire |language=en}}
=Tampa Bay Buccaneers=
On August 20, 2023, Williams was claimed off waivers by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.{{cite web|title=Bucs Claim CB Rodarius Williams, Place Russell Gage on IR|url=https://www.buccaneers.com/news/bucs-claim-cb-rodarius-williams-place-russell-gage-ir|author=Smith, Scott|website=Buccaneers.com|date=August 21, 2023}} He was waived on August 28.{{Cite news|url=https://www.tampabay.com/sports/bucs/2023/08/28/nolan-turner-deadrin-senat-kaylon-geiger-among-bucs-cuts/|newspaper=Tampa Bay Times|title=Bucs release QB John Wolford, LB Patrick O’Connor, among others |author=Stroud, Rick|date=August 28, 2023}}
Personal life
Williams is the older brother of NFL defensive back Greedy Williams.{{cite web | last=Bonner II| first=Frank | title=Former OSU cornerback Rodarius Williams looks to join his younger brother in the NFL | website=Tulsa World | date=2024-09-30 | url=https://tulsaworld.com/sports/college/osu/former-osu-cornerback-rodarius-williams-looks-to-join-his-younger-brother-in-the-nfl/article_fceeadce-972c-11eb-bf05-5767c3a30638.html | access-date=2024-10-16}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://okstate.com/sports/football/roster/rodarius-williams/9023 Oklahoma State Cowboys bio]
{{Giants2021DraftPicks}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Williams, Rodarius}}
Category:American football cornerbacks
Category:Players of American football from Shreveport, Louisiana
Category:Calvary Baptist Academy (Shreveport, Louisiana) alumni
Category:Oklahoma State Cowboys football players