Duke Williams (safety) facts for kids
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Williams with the Buffalo Bills in 2014
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| Position: | Safety | ||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||
| Born: | October 15, 1990 Tallulah, Louisiana, U.S. |
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| Height: | 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) | ||||||||||||
| Weight: | 201 lb (91 kg) | ||||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||||
| High school: | Reno (NV) Hug | ||||||||||||
| College: | Nevada | ||||||||||||
| NFL Draft: | 2013 / Round: 4 / Pick: 105 | ||||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||||||
| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||||||
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| Player stats at PFR | |||||||||||||
Michael "Duke" Williams (born October 15, 1990) is a former American football player. He played as a safety, a defensive position, in the NFL. Duke played college football at the University of Nevada. He was chosen by the Buffalo Bills in the 2013 NFL draft. He also played for the Indianapolis Colts.
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Early Life and Sports
Duke Williams grew up in Reno, Nevada. He went to Hug High School there. He was a great athlete in three different sports. He earned 12 varsity letters in football, basketball, and track and field. In football, he played both as a quarterback and a defensive back. He was named the Northern Nevada Player of the Year in his senior year. He was also chosen as an all-state safety three times.
Track and Field Achievements
Duke was also a very good track and field athlete. He competed in jumping and sprinting events. In 2009, he won the 100 meters race at the Northwest Invite. He set his best time of 11.34 seconds. He also won the triple jump at the Fallon Elks Invitational. His personal best jump was 15.20 meters. This jump was one of the top 10 in the nation that year. He was part of the 4 × 100-meter relay team. This team broke the state record with a time of 41.34 seconds.
Even with all his talent, only the University of Nevada, Reno, offered him a scholarship. He decided to accept their offer.
College Football Journey
Duke Williams played for the Nevada Wolf Pack football team. He was with them from 2009 to 2012.
Freshman and Sophomore Years
In 2009, as a freshman, he played mostly on special teams. He made 28 tackles. In 2010, he started 10 games and played in 13. He was third on his team with 74 tackles. He also had 4.5 tackles for loss and two interceptions.
Junior and Senior Years
As a junior, he earned his first all-conference honor. He was named to the second-team All-WAC. He started all 13 games. He was third on the team with 78 tackles. He also had five tackles for loss, six pass deflections, and one interception. In his senior season, he had a career-high 106 tackles. He also had 5.5 tackles for loss, nine pass deflections, and one interception. He earned second-team All-MWC honors in his final year.
Playing in the NFL
Time with the Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills chose Duke Williams in the 2013 NFL draft. He was the 105th pick overall in the fourth round. On May 10, 2013, he signed a four-year contract with the Bills. On November 24, 2014, he got his first career interception. This happened against the New York Jets. On November 12, 2015, he scored his first NFL touchdown. It was from a fumble recovery against the Jets. The Bills released him on November 15, 2016.
Short Stint with the Colts
On December 12, 2016, the Indianapolis Colts signed Duke Williams. He was released by the Colts on May 1, 2017.
Career Highlights
During his NFL career, Duke Williams played in 48 games. He recorded 86 combined tackles. He also had 1.0 sack, 1 forced fumble, and 3 fumble recoveries. He made 1 interception during his time in the NFL.
