Erik George Williams (born September 7, 1968) is a former American football offensive tackle in the National Football League (NFL) for the Dallas Cowboys and Baltimore Ravens. He played college football at Central State University in Wilberforce, Ohio, where he was an NAIA All-American offensive lineman. Williams was a third round selection in the 1991 NFL Draft. Early years Williams attended John Bartram High School. As a senior, he was a powerful defensive lineman, receiving All-Public League honors. He also competed in the shot put and discus throw. Poor grades prevented him from obtaining an NCAA Division I scholarship, so he enrolled at Central State University in Wilberforce, Ohio. He played under hall of fame football coach Billy Joe. As a redshirt freshman, he was converted to play the offensive left tackle position. As a sophomore, he was named the starter at left tackle and became a dominant player at the NAIA level and an All-American. During his collegiate career from 1987 through 1990, the team won a total of 41 games with just seven losses and one tie. In 1990, Williams helped the Marauders to the NAIA national championship. It was the first of three Central State University national titles during the decade. That championship season Williams helped the offense average 492 yards and 54.8 points per game and set an NAIA record for most points in a single season with 594 points. In 2010, Williams was inducted into the Central State University Sports Hall of Fame. In 2020, he was inducted into the Black College Football Hall of Fame. Professional career Dallas Cowboys Williams was selected by the Dallas Cowboys in the third round (70th overall) of the 1991 NFL Draft, with a choice from the Steve Walsh trade. He played sparingly as a rookie, as a backup to Nate Newton at right tackle. Williams' level of play during the 1992 training camp forced the Cowboys to move back Newton to left guard, in order to have the best players available on the offensive line. In 1992, he was named the Cowboys' starting right tackle. He earned national recognition, when he held future Hall of Fame defensive end Reggie White without a sack in a 20–10 Dallas win. He received the NFC's Offensive Player of the Week award, becoming the first offensive lineman in Cowboys history to win the award. Nicknamed "Big E", by 1993, his physical play