Originally entered the NFL as a Cardinals third-round (72nd overall) pick in the 2023 NFL Draft out of Syracuse.
2024: Started 11 of 16 games played and tallied 58 tackles, two INTs, a team-high nine passes defensed and a forced fumble ... had three solo tackles @ Buf (9/8) ... intercepted Commanders QB Jayden Daniels and had four tackles (three solo) vs. Was (9/29); the INT marked the second of his career, his first since Week 7 of 2023 and Daniels' first in the NFL; prior to the INT, Washington had scored on 16 consecutive possessions ... posted two tackles and one pass defensed @ GB (10/13) ... had five tackles (four solo) and one pass defensed in the win vs. LAC (10/21) ... posted five tackles and a career-high two passes defensed in the win vs. Chi (11/3) ... recorded a career-high seven tackles (six solo) in the win vs. NYJ (11/10) ... had three solo tackles and an INT of Seahawks QB Geno Smith @ Sea (11/24); marked his third career INT, and second of Smith at Lumen Field ... had one tackle and forced a Patriots WR Demario Douglas fumble in the win vs. NE (12/15); the forced fumble was the first of his career ... posted six tackles @ Car (12/22) ... registered four tackles and matched a career-high with two passes defensed @ LAR (12/28) ... had five tackles and a pass defensed in the win vs. SF (1/5/25).
2023: Appeared in nine games (six starts) in his rookie season (missed eight games due to injury) ... posted 23 tackles (19 solo), one tackle for loss, two passes defensed and an INT ... made his NFL debut @ Sea (10/22) and recorded two tackles and an INT; stopped a potential Seahawks scoring drive when he intercepted a Geno Smith pass at the AZ one-yard line late in the third quarter, becoming the first Cardinals player with an INT in his first career game since Hall of Fame CB Aeneas Williams in 1991 ... made first career start vs. Bal (10/29) and had one tackle ... recorded four tackles and one pass defensed @ Cle (11/5) ... tallied one tackle vs. Atl (11/12) ... had one solo tackle @ Hou (11/19) ... posted five tackles (four solo) vs. LAR (11/26) ... recorded four tackles in Cardinals win @ Pit (12/3) ... had five tackles (including one for loss) vs. SF (12/17) ... inactive (knee) @ Chi (12/24) ... started @ Phi (12/31) ... inactive vs. Sea (1/7/24).
Spent four seasons (2019-22) at Syracuse where he appeared in 32 games (28 starts) and had 152 tackles, 9.5 tackles for loss, 2.0 sacks, four INTs (one returned for a TD), 27 passes defended, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery … three-time All-ACC selection and freshman All-American (2020), Williams led the ACC in passes defensed in both 2020 and 2021 before an injury-shortened season in 2022 … finished his career tied for 8th in program history with 23 passes defensed and his 152 tackles are 21st in Syracuse history by a DB, despite only playing three full seasons ... named a team captain and earned honorable mention All-ACC honors in an injury-shortened redshirt sophomore season … started all seven games played before suffering a season-ending knee injury … finished second on the team in INTs (2) and passes defensed (3), despite only playing half a season ... anchored a defensive unit that finished in the season 14th nationally in pass defense (184.8) and 21st in total defense (328.6) … allowed just 14 completions through seven games ... earned All-ACC honors after starting all 10 games … led all Syracuse DBs with 52 tackles and five tackles for loss ... led the ACC in passes defensed (10) for the second-straight season, ranking second in the ACC in passes defensed per game … Ben Schwartzwalder Award winner and member of the SU Athletic Director's Honor Roll in the spring semester ... had his best season as a redshirt freshman in 2020, starting 11 games and recording a career-high 64 tackles, two INTs (one returned for a TD), an ACC-leading 12 passes defensed and three tackles for loss … in addition to leading the ACC, his 12 passes defensed ranked 7th nationally … named freshman All-American by The Athletic … honorable mention All-ACC … recorded his first college INT when he picked off a Trevor Lawrence pass and returned it 39 yards for a TD; was the first pick-six surrendered by Lawrence in his record-breaking college career … according to Pro Football Focus, the CB pair of Williams and Ifeatu Melifonwu were the seventh-highest graded duo in the FBS ... appeared in four games on special teams in a redshirt season.
Attended Hickory Ridge (Harrisburg, NC) High School where he was considered one of the top overall prospects in North Carolina by Rivals.com (No. 53), ESPN (No. 61) and 247Sports.com (No. 74) … 2018 Southwestern 4A All-Conference choice as a senior … voted to the 2017 Charlotte Observer all-region first team as a junior in 2017, also earning Independent Tribune Football "Dream Team" honors … had 68 tackles, three INTs and 18 passes defensed as a junior … added 639 all-purpose yards and four TDs for an 11-3 Hickory Ridge squad that reached the third round of the 2017 NCHSAA 4A playoffs … also a sprinter for the Hickory Ridge track team … dual major in Marketing Management and Retail Management.
