Ryan Williams (running back)
{{Short description|American football player (born 1990)}}
{{Use American English|date=March 2024}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2019}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| name = Ryan Williams
| image = Ryan Williams.jpg
| image_size =
| alt =
| caption = Williams with the Arizona Cardinals in 2012
| number = 34
| position = Running back
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1990|4|9|mf=y}}
| birth_place = Cold Spring, New York, U.S.
| height_ft = 5
| height_in = 9
| weight_lbs = 207
| high_school = Manassas (VA) Jackson
| college = Virginia Tech
| draftyear = 2011
| draftround = 2
| draftpick = 38
| pastteams =
- Arizona Cardinals ({{NFL Year|2011}}–{{NFL Year|2013}})
- Dallas Cowboys ({{NFL Year|2014|2015}})*
| highlights =
- Third-team All-American (2009)
- ACC Rookie of the Year (2009)
- ACC Offensive Rookie of the Year (2009)
- First team All-ACC (2009)
| statlabel1 = Rushing attempts
| statvalue1 = 58
| statlabel2 = Rushing yards
| statvalue2 = 164
| statlabel3 = Rushing touchdowns
| statvalue3 =
| statlabel4 = Receptions
| statvalue4 = 7
| statlabel5 = Receiving yards
| statvalue5 = 44
| statlabel6 = Receiving touchdowns
| statvalue6 =
| pfr = WillRy00
}}
Ryan Gene Williams (born April 9, 1990) is an American former professional football player who was a running back in the National Football League (NFL). He was selected by the Arizona Cardinals in the second round of the 2011 NFL draft. He played college football for the Virginia Tech Hokies.
Early life
Williams attended Stonewall Jackson High School in Manassas, Virginia. He was the starting tailback all four years. He finished with over 2,000 rushing yards, including 1,574 yards as a junior.
College career
As a freshman at Virginia Tech in 2008, Williams was redshirted. As a redshirt freshman in 2009, Williams took over as starting running back after starter Darren Evans suffered a season-ending ACL injury.[https://www.espn.com/college-football/news/story?id=4446525 Hokies tap RB Williams to start vs. Tide] Through thirteen games he rushed for 1,655 yards on 293 carries, scored 21 touchdowns, and broke multiple Virginia Tech and ACC rushing records in the process - including Virginia Tech's single season rushing yards record and the ACC single season touchdown record with 22 touchdowns.{{cite news|url=http://www.hokiesports.com/football/recaps/20100101aab.html|title=Tennessee Notes & Quotes|first=Jimmy|last=Robertson|newspaper=hokiesports.com|date=January 10, 2011|access-date=January 1, 2010|archive-date=August 28, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160828021327/http://www.hokiesports.com/football/recaps/20100101aab.html|url-status=dead}} He began the 2010 season as a starter but injured his right hamstring in a game against East Carolina University and was out for three games before coming back against Duke.
On January 9, 2011, it was announced that Williams will give up his final 2 years of NCAA eligibility to make himself available for the 2011 NFL Draft.{{cite news |url=https://www.roanoke.com/sports/vtfootball/wb/273347 |title=Hokies' Williams opting for NFL |first=Randy |last=King |newspaper=The Roanoke Times |date=January 10, 2011 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://archive.today/20121217171422/https://www.roanoke.com/sports/vtfootball/wb/273347 |archivedate=December 17, 2012 }}
=College statistics=
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;" | |||||||
| rowspan="2"| Season
! rowspan="2"| Team ! colspan="4"| Rushing ! colspan="3"| Receiving | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Att | Yds | Avg | TD | Rec | Yds | TD | |
| 2008 | Virginia Tech
| colspan="7"| Redshirted | ||||||
| 2009 | Virginia Tech
| 293 || 1,655 || 5.6 || 22 || 16 || 180 || 1 | ||||||
| 2010 | Virginia Tech
| 110 || 477 || 4.3 || 10 || 10 || 109 || 1 | ||||||
| colspan="2"| Totals | 403 | 2,132 | 4.9 | 32 | 26 | 289 | 2 |
Professional career
{{NFL predraft
| height ft = 5
| height in = 9 3/8
| weight = 212
| dash = 4.49
| ten split = 1.59
| twenty split = 2.50
| shuttle = 4.18
| cone drill = 6.96
| vertical = 40.0
| broad ft = 10
| broad in = 3
| bench = 19
| arm span = 30 3/4
| hand span = 9
| note = All values from NFL Combine/Pro Day{{Cite web |url=https://www.nfl.com/prospects/ryan-williams/32005749-4c00-0004-4526-3454d42bb6c0 |title=Ryan Williams Draft and Combine Prospect Profile |website=NFL.com |access-date=February 19, 2025}}{{Cite web |url=https://draftscout.com/dsprofile.php?PlayerId=84953&DraftYear=2011 |title=Ryan Williams College Football Profile |website=DraftScout.com |access-date=February 19, 2025}}
}}
=Arizona Cardinals=
Williams was selected by the Arizona Cardinals in the second round (38th overall) of the 2011 NFL draft.{{Cite web |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/2011/draft.htm |title=2011 NFL Draft Listing |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en |access-date=2019-02-26}} On August 19, during a pre-season football game against the Green Bay Packers, Williams was injured early in the third quarter in his first run of the game, suffering a ruptured patella tendon in his right knee which cost him the entire 2011 season.
On October 9, 2012, he was placed on the injured reserve list with a left shoulder injury, after playing in only 5 games. He was released on May 12, 2014.
=Dallas Cowboys=
Williams signed as a free agent with the Dallas Cowboys on May 17, 2014.{{cite web|work=NFL.com|url=https://www.nfl.com/news/ryan-williams-signed-by-dallas-cowboys-0ap2000000351197 |title=Ryan Williams signed by Dallas Cowboys|first=Kevin|last=Patra|date=May 19, 2014|access-date=July 27, 2016}} He was cut on August 30 and signed to the team's practice squad the following day.
On June 28, 2015, Williams was waived/injured, and reverted to Dallas' injured reserve the next day. On September 15, he was released by the Cowboys with an injury settlement.
References
{{Reflist|30em}}
External links
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20110719075201/http://www.azcardinals.com/team/roster/ryan-williams/2b9b43bf-8afb-4285-98b2-81dcf176cacd/ Arizona Cardinals bio]
- [http://www.hokiesports.com/football/players/williams_ryan.html Virginia Tech Hokies bio]
{{Cardinals2011DraftPicks}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Williams, Ryan}}
Category:Players of American football from Virginia
Category:People from Cold Spring, New York
Category:Players of American football from New York (state)
Category:American football running backs
Category:Virginia Tech Hokies football players