SW #54

Sam Williams

Linebacker · Ole Miss

A second-round Ole Miss pass rusher who fought back from a torn ACL and MCL to reclaim a starting role for Dallas.

Sam Williams brought record-setting sack production out of Ole Miss to Dallas as a 2022 second-round pick, then saw his early career interrupted by a serious knee injury. He returned to the field in 2025 and proved he still belongs in the Cowboys' pass-rush rotation.

★ AP and Walter Camp All-American (2021)

★ Ole Miss single-season sack record (12.5 in 2021)

★ Second-round pick, 2022 NFL Draft (No. 56 overall)

Path to the league

Williams began his college career at Northeast Mississippi Community College before transferring to Ole Miss, where his standout 2021 season, 12.5 sacks that set a school record, earned him All-American recognition from Walter Camp and the Associated Press. The Cowboys drafted him in the second round, 56th overall, in the 2022 NFL Draft.

Career highlights

Williams flashed as a disruptive edge presence in his first two NFL seasons before his career hit a setback in training camp ahead of 2024, when he tore his ACL and MCL and missed the entire season. His return to health made him a key storyline for Dallas's defensive front heading into 2025.

2025 season recap

Williams played in all 17 games for Dallas in 2025, starting five of them, and finished with 37 tackles, seven tackles for loss and a sack. It marked a full, healthy season back in the Cowboys' pass-rush rotation after the lost 2024 campaign.