Tulane ILB Dorian Williams selected 91st overall by Buffalo Bills in 2023 NFL Draft

Dorian Williams capped his college career in storybook fashion. The Tulane inside linebacker claimed Defensive MVP honors of a historic Cotton Bowl victory over USC to ride into the sunset.

Now, he is trading that Tulane jersey in for Buffalo Bills apparel. The Bills selected Williams with the 91st overall pick of the third round in the 2023 NFL Draft. Williams was the second Green Wave player selected, following Cotton Bowl Offensive MVP Tyjae Spears by 10 picks. Williams and Spears are the only Tulane players to be selected in the first three rounds of the NFL Draft since Matt Forté in 2008.

Williams concluded his time at Tulane with a warranted First Team All-AAC selection after contributing 132 tackles, which situated him at second in the conference and ninth in the FBS. The dynamic run stopper also tallied 5.0 sacks and 8.5 tackles for loss in a fruitful senior season to go along with two forced fumbles and seven pass deflections. Williams saved his best showing for the grandest stage, recording a career-high 17 tackles to stifle USC in the aforementioned Cotton Bowl victory.

Williams first broke out into stardom during the 2020 pandemic-altered season where he led the AAC with 97 total tackles and 15.5 tackles for loss — earning Second Team All-AAC honors in his first year as a full-time starter.

The All-AAC linebacker earned an NFL Combine invite where he posted an ultra-impressive 4.49-second 40-yard dash for his position. He also received solid explosiveness grades by recording 33.5-inch vertical jump and 10-foot broad jump. Williams’ offseason also consisted of participating in the Senior Bowl in Mobile, AL.

He joins a contending Buffalo Bills squad which features reigning First Team All-Pro middle linebacker Matt Milano as the centerpiece of a 4-2-5 scheme. This is the second consecutive year the Bills selected an inside linebacker in the third round, as Terrel Bernard from Baylor was taken one draft prior. Bernard contributed 22 tackles in 16 games last year, and Williams will likely compete with Bernard for time on the field.

Taking an overall glance at the position in Buffalo, the Bills hope to bolster linebacker depth after losing two-time Pro Bowl outside linebacker Tremaine Edmunds to the Chicago Bears in free agency. Williams could also witness time at outside linebacker in the NFL, which could fill the Bills’ vacancy at the position.

Williams is the first Tulane linebacker drafted since Anthony Cannon in the seventh round of the 2006 NFL Draft. He is the eighth Green Wave defender selected since Willie Fritz became head coach in 2016.