Jordan Williams, who starred as a linebacker at Paris High School and later at Baylor University, signed with the Atlanta Falcons as an unrestricted free agent Saturday night after the conclusion of the 2020 NFL Draft.
Williams was a draft hopeful entering this year’s event but was not selected by an NFL team in this year’s 7-round draft. However, it didn’t stop Williams from taking the next step.
“The Falcons organization reached out to me before the draft and expressed that they liked my film,” Williams said. “From then on, I could tell from talks with them over the phone that Atlanta was the place I needed to be, my best opportunity and the best fit.”
The Falcons had plenty of solid tapes to watch from Williams’ productive senior season at Baylor as an inside linebacker.
Williams finished his last year for the Bears with totals of 89 tackles (47 solo, 42 assists), 7.5 TFL, 1.5 sacks, 2 forced fumbles, 1 fumble recovery, and 3 interceptions. Williams had a standout performance in the Big 12 Championship game this past season, a narrow 30-23 overtime loss against the Oklahoma Sooners. In that game, Williams finished with 13 tackles (8 solo, 5 assists) and an interception of Jalen Hurts, then Sooners quarterback and now a second-round pick by the Philadelphia Eagles.
Before entering the draft, Williams said he planned to give back to the Paris community where he has called home his entire life. Williams said he wants to give back to the youth to help other both young aspiring athletes and other students in Paris to make it big in what they want to do like he has been able to do. In order to achieve his dream, Jordan had to chase it, which is something valuable he learned early on in helping him get to the highest stage on the gridiron.
Williams said the quote from American rapper Kevin Gates, “A vision without action is merely a dream,” has helped push him to this level.
The Falcons have a need at linebacker on their roster, so signing Williams was a natural fit. Although he stands at 6-feet as an inside linebacker, Atlanta has taken smaller linebackers with great speed, effort, and coverage skills such as Dion Jordan and John Abraham in the past, so Williams fits the mold.
