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. Duke Williams played college football for the Nevada Wolf Pack. Later, 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 High School Sports
Duke Williams grew up in Reno, Nevada. He went to Hug High School and played football for the Hug Hawks. Duke was a very talented athlete. He played three different sports in high school. He earned 12 varsity letters, which means he was on the main team for many seasons.
In football, he played both offense and defense. He was a quarterback on offense and a defensive back on defense. As a senior, he was named the best player in Northern Nevada. He was also chosen as an all-state safety three times.
Track and Field Achievements
Duke was also a great track and field athlete. He ran fast and jumped far. In 2009, he won the 100-meter race at one event. He also won the triple jump at another competition. His triple jump was one of the top 10 in the country that year. He was part of a relay team that set a new state record.
After high school, Duke was offered a scholarship to play football. The only offer he received was from the University of Nevada, Reno. He decided to accept it.
College Football Career
Duke Williams played college football for the Nevada Wolf Pack from 2009 to 2012.
Freshman and Sophomore Years
As a freshman in 2009, he played mostly on special teams. Special teams are groups that play during kickoffs and punts. He made 28 tackles that year. In 2010, he started 10 games. He made 74 tackles, which was third-best on his team. He also had two interceptions. An interception is when a defensive player catches a pass meant for an offensive player.
Junior and Senior Years
In his junior year, Duke was recognized as one of the best players in his conference. He started all 13 games. He made 78 tackles and had one interception. In his senior year, he had his best season. He made 106 tackles, which was a career high. He also had another interception. For his great play, he was again named to the second-team all-conference.
Professional Football Career
After college, Duke Williams entered the 2013 NFL draft. This is where professional teams choose college players.
Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills picked Duke Williams in the fourth round of the draft. He was the 105th player chosen overall. In May 2013, he signed a four-year contract with the Bills.
On November 24, 2014, Duke made his first professional interception. This happened in a game against the New York Jets. On November 12, 2015, he scored his first NFL touchdown. This happened when he recovered a fumble against the Jets. A fumble recovery is when a player picks up a ball that an opponent dropped.
The Bills released Duke Williams on November 15, 2016. This means they let him go from the team.
Indianapolis Colts
On December 12, 2016, the Indianapolis Colts signed Duke Williams. He played for them for a short time. He was released by the Colts on May 1, 2017.
NFL Statistics Summary
Duke Williams played in the NFL for several seasons. Here is a quick look at his career stats:
- He played in 48 games.
- He had 86 combined tackles.
- He made 1 sack. A sack is when a defensive player tackles the quarterback behind the line of scrimmage.
- He forced 1 fumble and recovered 3 fumbles.
- He had 1 interception.
