55 D.J. Williams, Inside Linebacker

Height: 6' 1"
Weight: 242 lbs.
College: Miami (Fla.)
Born: in Sacramento, Calif.
Acquired: Draft #1 (17th overall), 2004
Pro Year: 7th
Year with Broncos: 7th
NFL Games Played/Started: 91/86
Postseason: 3/3

WILLIAMS AT A GLANCE:

• A sixth-year linebacker who has started at least 11 games in each of his first five professional seasons for the Broncos while playing at the weakside, middle and strongside linebacker positions.
• Owns 20 10-tackle games and three 100-tackle seasons for his career, including a career-best 170 stops (121 solo) in 2007 that were the highest total by a Bronco in five seasons.
• Leads the AFC and ranks second in the NFL in tackles per game (8.7) during the last two seasons according to press box totals.
• Started for the Broncos at weakside linebacker in 2004 and ‘08, strongside linebacker from 2005-06 and middle linebacker in 2007.
• Ranked sixth in the league with 8.5 tackles per game in 2008 after leading the AFC (second in the NFL) with 141 total tackles in 2007 according to press box totals.
• Did not miss a regular-season game or a playoff contest in his first four seasons (2004-07) with Denver as its only defender to see time in all 67 Broncos contests during that period.
• Became the first rookie in Broncos history to lead the club in tackles with 114 stops in 2004 en route to finishing third in Associated Press NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year voting and earning Pro Football Weekly/PFWA All-Rookie honors that season.
• Chosen twice (2002-03) as a Butkus Award semifinalist at the University of Miami, where he was a two-time first-team All-Big East Conference choice who helped the Hurricanes to a national championship victory as a sophomore.
• Selected by the Broncos in the first round (17th overall) of the 2004 NFL Draft.

CAREER TRANSACTIONS: Signed by Denver as a draft choice 7/28/04.

Quickly: Williams started in all 16 games for the Broncos and led the club with 122 tackles (100 solo)... According to press box statistics, he is sixth in the NFL with 8.3 tackles per game since 2007.

2009: Was second on the club with 10 tackles at Cin. (9/13), including nine defensive stops at halftime... Led the Broncos with seven solo stops, including two tackles for a loss, and a forced fumble at Oak. (9/27)... Recorded nine solo tackles, including sack (1 yd.) vs. Dal. (10/4) to go along with a fumble recovery and two pass breakups. Led the club with a season-high 11 tackles (8 solo) at Bal. (11/1)... Had a team-high two tackles for a loss vs. S.D. (11/22).

2008: Williams, who was voted a team captain, returned to the weakside linebacker position for the first time since his rookie season and played 11 games (all starts) for Denver, finishing second on the team with 103 tackles (83 solo)... Notched a career-high 2.5 sacks (13 yds.), one pass breakup and one fumble recovery... Ranked sixth in the NFL in tackles per game (8.5 / 93 total) according to press box statistics... Started Denver's first eight games, recording double-digit tackle totals in five of those contests, before suffering a left knee injury vs. Mia. (11/2) and missing the next five games (Games 9-13)... Tied for the NFL lead in tackles (77) at the time of the injury according to press box totals... Had a career-high 17 tackles (13 solo) vs. N.O. (9/21)... Earned ESPN.com's AFC West Player of the Week honors after registering a team-high 16 tackles (13 solo) vs. T.B. (10/5).

2007: Williams, in his first season playing middle linebacker, started all 16 games for the first time in his career and led the Broncos with a career-high 170 tackles (121 solo)... Added one sack (14 yds.), one interception (0 yds.), four pass breakups, three forced fumbles (second most on the team) and two fumble recoveries... Posted at least a share of Denver’s tackle lead in 11 games... Registered the highest tackle total (170) by a Bronco since 2002 (LB Al Wilson, 199)... Credited with an AFC-best 141 tackles (106 solo) according to press box figures with that total ranking second in the NFL... Whistled for only one penalty (5 yds.) all season.

2006: Williams posted 86 tackles (69 solo), one sack (8 yds.), three pass breakups and two forced fumbles in 16 games (15 starts) for the Broncos... Played at the strongside position... Made a season-high 10 tackles (7 solo) and broke up two passes on Sunday Night Football at N.E. (9/24).

2005: Williams placed sixth on the Broncos with 68 tackles (44 solo) while adding five pass breakups and one forced fumble in 16 games (14 starts) at strongside linebacker... Key part of a Denver team that won the AFC West title and advanced to the AFC Championship Game... Helped the club rank second in the NFL against the run (85.2 ypg.) and tie for third in the league in scoring defense (16.1 ppg.)... Contributed two tackles and one forced fumble on special teams... Placed second on the club with 17 tackles (10 solo) while adding half a sack (3.5 yds.) in two playoff games, including 10 stops (5 solo) and half a sack in the AFC Championship Game vs. Pit. (1/22).

2004: Selected by the Broncos in the first round (17th overall) of the 2004 NFL Draft, Williams played 16 games (14 starts) at weakside linebacker and totaled 114 tackles (82 solo), two sacks (13 yds.), one interception (10 yds.), nine pass breakups and one forced fumble... Finished third in the Associated Press’ NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year voting and received Pro Football Weekly/PFWA All-Rookie recognition... Became the first Broncos rookie in club history to own the team’s outright lead in tackles for the season... Ranked fifth on the club with eight specialteams tackles... Recorded seven tackles (5 solo) in an AFC Wild Card Game at Ind. (1/9)... Was the only rookie in the league to receive AFC Defensive Player of the Week accolades (Wk. 16 at Tennessee) and also earned NFL Defensive Rookie of the Month honors for December, becoming the first Bronco in club history to receive that honor.

COLLEGE: Williams was a three-year starter at the University of Miami, playing 47 career games (34 starts) and totaling 241 tackles (124 solo), 10 sacks (58 yds.), 28 tackles for losses (92 yds.), four forced fumbles, one fumble recovery and 10 pass breakups... Started his collegiate career at fullback and totaled 18 career rushes for 142 yards (7.9 avg.) with two touchdowns while catching 12 passes for 153 yards (11.9 avg.)... Blossomed into one of the best players in the country at linebacker, finishing his senior year in 2003 as a semifinalist for the Butkus Award (nation’s top linebacker) for the second consecutive year and earning a selection to the All-America Dream Team (The NFL Draft Report)... Named third-team All-America by the Associated Press and first-team All-Big East Conference as a senior... Was a semifinalist for the Butkus Award and a first-team All-Big East selection as a junior... Helped Miami capture the national championship as a sophomore with a Rose Bowl win against Nebraska... Played as a reserve fullback in 2000 during his freshman campaign before switching to linebacker.

PERSONAL: Williams earned USA Today Defensive Player of the Year honors and was regarded as the top defensive player in the nation at De La Salle High School (Concord, Calif.), one of the top prep programs in the country... Helped his team post a combined 36-0 record and was part of the school’s national-record 151-game winning streak that was snapped in 2004... Rated as the top player in the nation by SuperPrep as well as the No. 1 prospect on the Far West Team... Listed as the National Defensive MVP, Western Region MVP and No. 1 linebacker on PrepStar’s 1999 Top-100 Dream Team... Tabbed a SuperPrep All-American and recorded 130 career tackles (87 solo) and six sacks while rushing for 1,974 yards... Broke the school record for touchdowns in a season with 42 (33 rushing, 5 receiving, 3 punt return and 1 kickoff return)... John Madden spoke at De La Salle’s football banquet and commented that Williams was the only player he had ever seen who could make the jump from high school to the NFL... Majored in liberal arts at Miami... Son of Sherri Gonzalez and Genos D. Williams Sr.... D.J. Williams was born on July 20, 1982, in Sacramento, Calif.

Previous Season Stats

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Williams’ Single-Game Highs (postseason in parentheses)

Sacks — 1, 6 times, last vs. Tampa Bay, 10/05/08 (0.5 vs. Pittsburgh, 1/22/06). Sack yards — 14 at Buffalo, 9/9/07 (3.5 vs. Pittsburgh, 1/22/06). Interceptions — 1, twice, last vs. Pittsburgh, 10/21/07 (none). Interception return yards — 10, at Tennessee, 12/25/04 (none).