A third-round Tulane product, Dorian Williams has become one of Buffalo's most reliable fill-in linebackers, once leading the NFL in tackles through the season's first five weeks.
Dorian Williams built his name at Tulane as the emotional leader of a defense that upset USC in the Cotton Bowl, and he's carried that motor into Buffalo's linebacker room. Stuck behind established veterans on the depth chart, he's made the most of every opportunity when the Bills have needed him.
Path to the league
Williams starred at Tulane from 2019 to 2022 after attending Indian Land High School in South Carolina. He earned first-team All-AAC honors in 2022 while leading the Green Wave to a 10-2 record and a memorable Cotton Bowl upset of USC. The Buffalo Bills drafted him in the third round, 91st overall, in the 2023 NFL Draft.
Career highlights
Williams has carved out a niche as a high-energy linebacker capable of stepping into significant defensive snaps whenever Buffalo's top options are unavailable. He's shown a knack for closing on the ball and making plays sideline to sideline, even while working primarily as a reserve behind Matt Milano and Terrel Bernard.
2025 season recap
Williams appeared in 16 games in 2025, starting nine, and played 44.2% of Buffalo's defensive snaps while filling in for an injured Matt Milano. He led the league in tackles through the season's first five weeks and finished the year with 117 total tackles, his most productive statistical season yet.
Sources
- Wikipedia: Dorian Williams (American football)
- ESPN: Dorian Williams
Statistics
2025 season and career2025 Season · Defense
16 games played▶Defense · career
| Year | Team | GP | TOT | SOLO | SACK | INT | FF | FR | PD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | bills | 16 | 63 | 29 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| 2024 | bills | 17 | 117 | 68 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 0 |
| 2023 | bills | 17 | 40 | 25 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Player Profile
Background
- Position
- Linebacker
- Group
- defense
- College
- Tulane
- Hometown
- Indian Land, SC, USA
- Age
- 25
- Status
- active
