. ▁He ▁was ▁also ▁named ▁to ▁the ▁AF CA ▁All - America ▁Team , ▁the ▁Associ ated ▁Press ▁All - America ▁Second - team ▁and ▁The ▁Sports ▁Network ▁All - America ▁Second - team , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁being ▁a ▁First - team ▁All - G ate way ▁selection , ▁while ▁ranking ▁among ▁the ▁nation ’ s ▁top ▁ 5 0 ▁def ensive ▁players ▁in ▁tack les ▁for ▁loss , ▁total ▁tack les ▁and ▁s acks . ▁He ▁was ▁also ▁a ▁runner - up ▁for ▁the ▁Gate way ▁Def ensive ▁Player ▁of ▁the ▁Year ▁Award . ▁He ▁was ▁also ▁named ▁the ▁team ’ s ▁def ensive ▁M VP ▁at ▁the ▁teams ▁annual ▁awards ▁ban quet . ▁ ▁As ▁a ▁senior ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 8 , ▁Williams ▁was ▁named ▁to ▁Lind y ' s ▁pre - season ▁All - America ▁First - team ▁and ▁the ▁Cons ensus ▁D raft ▁Services ▁All - America ▁Second - team . ▁He ▁was ▁also ▁one ▁of ▁three ▁line back s ▁named ▁to ▁The ▁Sport ing ▁News ''' ▁pre - season ▁FC S ▁All - America ▁team . ▁He ▁was ▁also ▁named ▁to ▁Phil ▁Ste ele ' s ▁pre - season ▁All - America ▁First - team . ▁For ▁the ▁season , ▁Williams ▁recorded ▁ 6 7 ▁tack les ▁( 3 9 ▁solo ), ▁ 1 4 . 5 ▁tack les - for - loss es ▁and ▁led ▁the ▁nation ▁with ▁a ▁school - record ▁six ▁forced ▁f umb les . ▁He ▁finished ▁fourth ▁in ▁the ▁Buck