A four-year Ole Miss tackle who started at both left and right tackle before Arizona took him in the seventh round.
Jayden Williams spent his entire college career in Oxford, starting games at both offensive tackle spots for the Rebels. The Arkansas native was the Cardinals' final pick of the 2026 NFL Draft, landing in the seventh round after a senior season at right tackle in which he allowed just two sacks.
Path to the league
Williams grew up in Conway, Arkansas, and starred at Conway High School, where he helped lead the basketball team to a state title before shifting to the offensive line late in his senior football season. A three-star recruit, he picked Ole Miss over Missouri and Kansas and earned freshman All-America recognition after starting all 13 games as a first-year player.
Career highlights
Over four seasons with the Rebels, Williams started 34 career games split between left tackle (19 starts) and right tackle (15 starts), giving Ole Miss a versatile piece up front through multiple offensive line configurations. Injuries limited his junior season, but he answered by moving to right tackle as a senior and locking down the spot.
2025 season recap
In his final Ole Miss season, Williams started all 15 games at right tackle and allowed only two sacks, a performance that helped him land on Arizona's board. The Cardinals selected him with the 217th overall pick in the seventh round of the 2026 NFL Draft.
Sources
- Wikipedia: Jayden Williams
- ESPN: Jayden Williams
Player Profile
Background
- Position
- Offensive Tackle
- Group
- offense
- College
- Ole Miss
- Hometown
- Conway, AR, USA
- Age
- 23
- Status
- active
