Tag: Xavier Williams

Alabama football countdown: 3 days until kickoff

We are 3 days from Alabama football kicking off its season on the road against the Missouri Tigers to start a 10-game, SEC only schedule.

There has been a lot of uncertainty surrounding college football over the last couple of months, but as of right now, the season still looks like it’s a go for the SEC, ACC and Big 12.

So, what does that mean? It means that we can continue the Countdown to Kickoff en route to the Crimson Tide — and the rest of the SEC — getting things underway on Sept. 26.

With it now being Sept. 23, we are officially 3 days away from the start!

Two players are currently wearing the No. 3 for Alabama. On offense, redshirt sophomore receiver Xavier Williams has switched from the No. 9. And on defense, it’s starting safety Daniel Wright, a redshirt junior from Fort Lauderdale (Fla.).

Daniel Wright
Alabama players celebrate with Alabama defensive back Daniel Wright (3) after he made a big hit on a kick return against Florida State in Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta Saturday, September 2, 2017. [Staff Photo/Gary Cosby Jr.]

2020 Alabama football schedule

  • Sept. 26 at Missouri (Columbia, Mizz.)
  • Oct. 3 vs. Texas A&M (Tuscaloosa, Ala.)
  • Oct. 10 at Ole Miss (Oxford, Miss.)
  • Oct. 17 vs. Georgia (Tuscaloosa, Ala.)
  • Oct. 24 at Tennessee (Knoxville, Tenn.)
  • Oct. 31 vs. Miss State (Tuscaloosa, Ala.)
  • Nov. 14 at LSU (Baton Rouge, La.)
  • No. 21 vs. Kentucky (Tuscaloosa, Ala.)
  • Nov. 28 vs. Auburn (Tuscaloosa, Ala.)
  • Dec. 5 at Arkansas (Fayetteville, Ark.)

Stay tuned for more updates from Roll Tide Wire, part of the USA TODAY Sports College Wire network!

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Former Chiefs DT Xavier Williams visited Buccaneers

A reunion between Williams and his former head coach Bruce Arians could be on the way.

A member of the Kansas City Chiefs’ Super Bowl LIV team who remains a free agent took his first visit of the offseason over the weekend.

According to the NFL’s official transaction report, former Chiefs DT Xavier Williams was recently in Tampa Bay to visit the Buccaneers. He underwent a physical examination today, according to The Athletic’s Greg Auman.

Williams joined the Chiefs in 2018 after they signed him to an offer sheet as a restricted free agent. His original team, the Arizona Cardinals declined to match the offer from Kansas City. A Grandview, Missouri native, Williams welcomed the opportunity to play for his hometown team.

Williams played in just five games during 2019’s regular-season before being placed on injured reserve with a high ankle sprain. He’d become one of the two players the Chiefs brought back from injured reserve, appearing in playoff games against the Houston Texans and Tennessee Titans.

The Cardinals originally signed Williams as an undrafted free agent out of Northern Iowa in 2015. He played under Bruce Arians in Arizona for three seasons. Arians, of course, is the new head coach of the Buccaneers.

It seems that a reunion of sorts could be in the works for Arians and Williams, with the hopes of building up the defensive tackle depth in Tampa Bay. Buccaneers’ defensive coordinator Todd Bowles runs a 3-4 defense too, which is good news for Williams. He can play a variety of positions in a 3-4 defensive front and seems to be better suited for that alignment.

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Alabama player snapshot: No. 3 Xavier Williams

Redshirt sophomore Xavier Williams is the next man up on Alabama football’s player snapshot, which highlights each scholarship player.

As we continue through the offseason, Roll Tide Wire has decided to bring fans a quick snapshot of each scholarship player listed on Alabama’s 2020 football roster.

Each day, we’ll release anywhere from 2-4 player profiles giving fans a glimpse into the players who will be available this upcoming season. Whether that’s size, classification, hometowns or recruiting rankings coming out of high school, we’ve got you covered.

Also included in each article is a quick recap letting you know what to expect from that player for the upcoming 2020 season and beyond.

Next up on the list is wide receiver Xavier Williams out of Hollywood (Fla.).

Xavier Williams, Wide Receiver

Xavier Williams
Jan 1, 2020; Orlando, Florida, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide wide receiver Xavier Williams (9) signs an autograph for a young fan after defeating the Michigan Wolverines during the 2020 VRBO Citrus Bowl at Camping World Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports

Height: 6-1 / Weight: 195

Class: Redshirt Sophomore

Hometown: Hollywood (Fla.)

High School: Chaminade-Madonna Prep

HS ranking (247Sports): 4-star / No. 143 overrall / No. 24 WR / No. 24 FL

HS ranking (Rivals): 4-star / No. 176 overrall / No. 32 WR / No. 32 FL

Analysis: Xavier Williams will be sporting a new jersey number in 2020. After wearing the No. 9 through his first two seasons in Tuscaloosa, the former four-star recruit will now rock the No. 3 on the field, a number previously worn by John Metchie (No. 8 now on the 2020 roster).

After sitting behind one of the best groups of receivers in college football history that included the departed Jerry Jeudy and Henry Ruggs III, Williams will now have the opportunity to compete for the No. 3 receiver role behind Jaylen Waddle and DeVonta Smith.

Others involved in that competition will be Metchie, Slade Bolden and Tyrell Shavers, which makes it difficult to project on where Williams will come out on the depth chart.

Either way, he’s a talented pass-catcher who, at the very least, will continue to add an option and special teams, as well as valuable depth to the receivers group.

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Report: Chiefs won’t re-sign pending free agent DT Xavier Williams

Free agency begins soon and a new report says that Kansas City Chiefs DT Xavier Williams won’t be back with the team.

The Kansas City Chiefs have plenty of pending free agents and in the coming days will know which of those players will return for the 2020 season.

According to Kansas City Star beat writer Sam McDowell, the Chiefs won’t seek to re-sign DT Xavier Williams. Kansas City added Williams when he was a restricted free agent with the Arizona Cardinals in 2018. They signed him to a two-year offer sheet with the Chiefs worth $5 million and the Cardinals declined to match.

Williams played high school football in Grandview, Missouri and was a Chiefs fan. He had a chance to play for his hometown team and win a Super Bowl with them.

Williams played 3-4 defensive end in Bob Sutton’s defense in 2018 before making the switch to 4-3 defensive tackle for Steve Spagnuolo in 2019. He played just five games during 2019’s regular-season before being placed on injured reserve with a high ankle sprain.

Ultimately, Williams would become one of the two players the Chiefs brought back from injured reserve, joining QB Chad Henne. He’d play in games against the Houston Texans and Tennessee Titans during the postseason with 30 defensive snaps and 10 snaps on special teams. Williams will finish his time in Kansas City with 55 total tackles, 2.5 sacks, two forced fumbles, two tackles for loss and two QB hits.

If there’s one good piece thing about the Chiefs’ decision on Williams, this increases the likelihood that Kansas City returns both Chris Jones and Mike Pennel who are also free agents at the defensive tackle position.

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How did the former Cardinals do in Super Bowl LIV?

The Chiefs have five former Cardinals on the team. Three played in the game. None made a huge impact in the Chiefs’ Super Bowl win.

There were five former Arizona Cardinals players connected to Super Bowl LIV on Sunday — all with the Kansas City Chiefs. The Chiefs won the game 31-20, rallying in the fourth quarter from a 20-10 deficit.

How did these former Cardinals do?

They didn’t have a huge impact.

Two did not play.

Defensive end Alex Okafor is on injured reserve and defensive tackle Xavier Williams, though active for the game, did not play.

Fullback Anthony Sherman played seven offensive snaps and 18 snaps on special teams. He did not log any stats in the game.

Defensive end Terrell Suggs played 33 defensive snaps and had two tackles and a quarterback hit.

Safety Tyrann Mathieu played all 58 defensive snaps in the game for the Chiefs. He had six total tackles, tied for second on the team. That was it, though.

None made a huge impact on the result of the game but all five are now world champions.

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Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Stitcher Radio.

Ep. 256

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Ep. 255

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5 player connections to the Cardinals in Super Bowl

Check out the former Cardinals vying for a championship!

Arizona Cardinals fans probably don’t need more reasons to root for the Kansas City Chiefs over the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl LIV, but there is one big reason why they should.

There are five former Arizona Cardinals players who play for the Chiefs.

The 49ers have exactly zero player ties to the Cardinals, which is actually rare. As we have found out during the season and the playoffs, almost every team has at least one player who spent time at some point with the Cardinals.

But they have none. Who are the five former Cardinals with the Chiefs?

Tyrann Mathieu

Mike Dinovo-USA TODAY Sports

Cardinals fans will remember Mathieu, as he was one of the more popular players when he was with the team. He was drafted by Arizona in the third round in 2013. He played five seasons and had two major knee injuries. He also was given a huge contract extension. But after 2017, he was asked to take a paycut and he was not willing. He was cut for salary cap purposes and played one season with the Houston Texans before signing a multi-year deal with the Chiefs.

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