Kevin Williams (defensive tackle)

Infobox NFLactive


name=Kevin Williams
currentteam=Minnesota Vikings
currentnumber=93
currentposition=Defensive tackle
birthdate=birth date and age|1980|8|16
birthplace=Arkadelphia, Arkansas
heightft=6
heightin=5
weight=310
debutyear=2003
debutteam=Minnesota Vikings
highlights=
* 3x Pro Bowl selection (2004, 2006, 2007)
* 2x First-team All-Pro selection (2006, 2007)
* 3x All-NFC Seletion (2004, 2006, 2007)
college=Oklahoma State
draftyear=2003
draftround=1
draftpick=9
pastteams=
* Minnesota Vikings (2003-present)
statweek=17
statseason=2007
statlabel1=Tackles
statvalue1=237
statlabel2=Sacks
statvalue2=34.0
statlabel3=INTs
statvalue3=4
PFR=WillKe98
nfl=WIL407346

Kevin Williams (born August 16 1980 in Arkadelphia, Arkansas) is a defensive tackle for the Minnesota Vikings of the NFL. He is currently one half of the tandem nicknamed; the Williams Wrecking Crew aka The WWC (with teammate Pat Williams).

After graduating from Oklahoma State University, he was selected by the Vikings with the 9th pick of the first round in the 2003 NFL Draft.

Personal

Williams majored in general studies and earned his degree in the spring of 2003 from Oklahoma State. He played tight end and defensive line at Fordyce, Arkansas High School. He had 9 receptions and 2 TDs as a senior and posted 60 tackles, 20 tackles for loss, 5 sacks, a fumble recovery for a TD and an interception returned for a touchdown. Williams was also an All-State selection in basketball.

College

Williams was a mainstay on the Oklahoma State Cowboys' defensive front, starting 42 games during his career. He recorded 160 tackles, 38 tackles for loss, and 18.5 sacks during his career and was an integral part of a team that improved from 3-8 with 1 win in the conference in 2000 to an 8-5 overall record with a 5-3 conference mark in 2002. The Cowboys' Houston Bowl appearance in 2002 was only the second time in 14 years that OSU made it to a bowl game.

Pro career

In 2003, Williams was one of the top impact rookie defenders in team history and led the Vikings with 10.5 sacks, the 2nd-most sacks by a Vikings rookie behind Keith Millard's 11.0 in 1985. He was a consensus All-Rookie team honoree having started opening 12 games of the season at left defensive end and moved inside to start at nose tackle for the final 4 games. He set the Vikings rookie record with 3.0 sacks in season finale at Arizona on December 28. Williams was named NFC Defensive Rookie of the Month when he had 18 tackles, 5.0 sacks, a forced fumble and an interception in the 4-game stretch and joined Carl Eller (1964) and Al Noga (1988) as the only rookie defensive ends in team history to start the season opener when he debuted in the lineup at Green Bay September 7 and also joined defensive end Lance Johnstone as players with 10.0+ sacks, the first time in Vikings history since 1993 when Chris Doleman and John Randle accomplished the feat.

Williams compiled 11.5 sacks in 2004, 4 in 2005, and 5 in 2006. He has 146 tackles and 31 sacks for his career.

On December 23 2006, the Minnesota Vikings signed him to a new 7-year contract extension that could reach $50 million with incentives, the contract also included $16 million in guaranteed money.

In 2007, during the NFL Kickoff game, Williams intercepted Atlanta Falcons quarterback Joey Harrington and ran 54 yards for a touchdown in the 1st quarter. This was the Vikings' first TD for the 2007 season.

External links

* [http://www.vikings.com/player_detail_objectname_kevin_williams.html Minnesota Vikings official website]