Obscure Athlete of the Week: Elijah Williams
Sticking with the running back theme (Ricky Bell) and more specifically the Florida Gator running back theme (Willie Green), the Obscure Athlete of the Week is Elijah Williams.
Williams came to UF in 1994 out of Milton High School in Milton, FL. During his 4 years in Gainesville, Williams was a standout at both running back and cornerback. For the first 3 years of his career, he split time in the backfield with current Jacksonville Jaguar Fred Taylor. Despite never being the sole ball carrier, Williams ranks 9th on the Gators’ all-time rushing list (2,181 yards) and 1st in yards per carry for backs that carried the ball at least 250 times (6.4). He also holds the single season record for yards per carry with at least 100 carries at 7.5 in 1995. After the Gators’ national title in 1996, the coaches decided to focus the running game on one key back. And despite leading the team in rushing during the championship season, the back chosen was Taylor and not Williams. Taylor responded with 1,292 yards in 1997, but Williams – who had been moved to the defensive backfield – responded by becoming an instant starter at CB.
Despite only being a fulltime CB for 1 year, the Atlanta Falcons selected Williams in the 6th round of the 1998 NFL Draft. He made the team and played for the Falcons for 4 years. Over his career, Williams appeared in 50 games and totaled 83 tackles and 1 interception.
Williams was last seen as a member of Team Florida of the All-American Football League. It looked like he had a chance to be the team’s starting running back before the league folded.