A high-motor Duke edge rusher and team captain the Jaguars traded up to grab in the fourth round of the 2026 draft.
Wesley Williams built his reputation at Duke on relentless effort, leading the Blue Devils in sacks as a captain and honor-roll student before Jacksonville moved up to select him in the 2026 NFL Draft. His combination of production and character made him a priority target on Jacksonville's board.
Path to the league
A three-star recruit out of Battlefield High School in Haymarket, Virginia, Williams committed to Duke and redshirted as a true freshman in 2022. He went on to start 29 of 41 career games for the Blue Devils, and the Jaguars traded up in the fourth round to select him at No. 119 overall in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Career highlights
Williams finished his Duke career with 131 tackles, 29 tackles for loss, 11 sacks, one forced fumble and five blocked kicks. He earned honorable mention All-ACC honors in both 2024 and 2025 and was named Duke's team captain and defensive MVP as a senior.
2025 season recap
In his final season, Williams started 14 games as team captain, recording 44 tackles, nine tackles for loss and two sacks while earning honorable mention All-ACC recognition again. He generated 46 quarterback pressures on the year, according to draft evaluators, before declaring for the draft and landing with Jacksonville.
Sources
- Wikipedia: Wesley Williams (American football)
- Duke Athletics: Williams Selected by Jacksonville Jaguars in Fourth Round
Player Profile
Background
- Position
- Defensive End
- Group
- defense
- College
- Duke
- Hometown
- Gainesville, VA, USA
- Age
- 21
- Status
- active
