Leander Antwione Williams (born May 26, 1993) is a former American football linebacker. He played college football at Georgia Southern. He was drafted by the Detroit Lions in the fifth round (169th overall) in the 2016 NFL Draft.
![]() Williams with the Detroit Lions in 2016 | |||||||||||
No. 52, 56, 49, 55 | |||||||||||
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Position: | Linebacker | ||||||||||
Personal information | |||||||||||
Born: | (1993-05-26) May 26, 1993 (age 29) Birmingham, Alabama | ||||||||||
Height: | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) | ||||||||||
Weight: | 240 lb (109 kg) | ||||||||||
Career information | |||||||||||
High school: | Lovejoy (Hampton, Georgia) | ||||||||||
College: | Georgia Southern | ||||||||||
NFL Draft: | 2016 / Round: 5 / Pick: 169 | ||||||||||
Career history | |||||||||||
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* Offseason and/or practice squad member only | |||||||||||
Career NFL statistics | |||||||||||
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Player stats at NFL.com · PFR | |||||||||||
Williams attended Lovejoy High School where he was a two-tme All-Regional selection. He was named All-county and All-South Crescent in 2009 and 2010. For his career, he recorded 63 tackles (14 solo), eight tackles-for-loss, three sacks, four interceptions, eight passes defensed, two blocked kicks and one touchdown.[1]
Williams then attended Georgia Southern University where he majored in psychology.[1]
As a freshman in 2011, he appeared in 11 games, starting three at linebacker. He finished the season with 25 tackles and one tackle-for-loss. In 2012 as a sophomore, he appeared in 14 games, starting six. He recorded 32 tackles (17 solo) and three passes defensed. He then missed the 2013 with an injury and was given a medical redshirt. In 2014, he returned as a redshirt junior and started all 12 games. He finished second on the team with 65 tackles (44 solo), eight tackles-for-loss, three sacks, one forced fumble and four passes defensed. For the season he was named an All-Sun Belt honorable mention. He also was named to the Dean's list in the spring and was a member of the Eagle Honor Roll for the spring as well. As a redshirt senior in 2015, he started all 13 games. He recorded 107 tackles (48 solo), 10.5 tackles-for-loss, four sacks, four forced fumbles, two quarterback hurries and three passes defensed. After the season, he was named an All-Sun Belt honorable mention selection.[1]
College statistics | |||||||||||||||||||||
Year | Team | GP/GS | Tackles | Sacks | Pass defense | Fumbles | Safeties | TDs | |||||||||||||
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Solo | Ast | Total | TFL | No | Int | PD | FF | FR | |||||||||||||
2011 | Georgia Southern | 11 / 3 | -- | -- | 25 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||||||||
2012 | Georgia Southern | 14 / 6 | 17 | 15 | 32 | -- | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||||||||
2013 | Georgia Southern | 0 / 0 | -- | -- | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||||||||
2014 | Georgia Southern | 12 / 12 | 44 | 19 | 65 | 8 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||||||||
2015 | Georgia Southern | 13 / 13 | 48 | 59 | 107 | 10.5 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||||||||
Career | 50 / 34 | -- | -- | 229 | 19.5 | 7 | 0 | 10 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Height | Weight | 40-yard dash | 10-yard split | 20-yard split | 20-yard shuttle | Three-cone drill | Vertical jump | Broad jump | Bench press | |||
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6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) |
240 lb (109 kg) |
4.80 s | 1.70 s | 2.89 s | 4.58 s | 7.03 s | 35 in (0.89 m) | 9 ft 10 in (3.00 m) | 23 reps | |||
All values from Georgia Southern pro day.[2] |
Williams was drafted by the Detroit Lions in the fifth round (169th overall) of the 2016 NFL Draft. On May 6, he signed his four-year rookie contract.[3] He played 14 games for the Lions in 2016, recording 12 tackles on the season. On September 2, 2017, Williams was waived by the Lions.[4]
On September 13, 2017, Williams was signed to the Minnesota Vikings' practice squad.[5] He signed a reserve/future contract with the Vikings on January 22, 2018.[6]
On August 31, 2018, Williams was waived by the Vikings.[7]
On September 3, 2018, Williams was signed to the Seattle Seahawks' practice squad, but was released two days later.[8][9]
On December 19, 2018, Williams was signed to the Carolina Panthers practice squad.[10]
Williams signed a reserve/future contract with the Panthers on December 31, 2018.[11] He was waived during final roster cuts on August 30, 2019.[12]
Williams was signed by the DC Defenders of the XFL during mini-camp in December 2019. He was waived on February 29, 2020.[13]
Detroit Lions 2016 NFL draft selections | |
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