Xavier Williams
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Career Summary
Xavier Williams moved from Georgia high-school quarterback to college safety before earning a 2026 NFL opportunity with Tampa Bay.
Williams began at quarterback, played that position at Charlotte, and later transitioned to safety at Middle Tennessee State. He completed his college career at Cincinnati after stops at UCF and Charlotte.
The undrafted defensive back signed with Tampa Bay in August 2026 after a rookie-minicamp tryout, though his subsequent status remained unresolved by September 11, 2026.
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Early Life
Raised in Georgia, Williams grew substantially during high school and continued playing after a senior-year move to Colquitt County.
Williams is from McDonough, Georgia, and attended Ola High School before moving with his family to Colquitt County during his senior year. Middle Tennessee State described him as having entered high school around 5-foot-6 and 130 pounds before growing to approximately 6-foot-2.
His high-school season was interrupted when he tore an ACL on the first snap of Colquitt County’s final regular-season game, after the team had opened 6-0.
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High School
At Colquitt County, Williams played quarterback, produced as a passer and runner, and helped the team win a regional championship.
Williams played quarterback at Colquitt County High School after attending Ola High School as a junior. During the abbreviated 2020 season, he completed 73 of 188 passes for 1,085 yards and 14 touchdowns, while adding 424 rushing yards and five rushing touchdowns.
Colquitt County finished 7-0 and won a regional championship. Cincinnati’s player biography identifies Williams as a three-star recruit according to 247Sports.
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College Career
Williams played five collegiate seasons across four schools, beginning at quarterback before becoming a starting safety and leading Middle Tennessee State in tackles.
Williams enrolled at Charlotte in January 2021, redshirted that fall, and played quarterback in 2022. His Charlotte season included 34 completions on 67 attempts for 420 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions, plus a 67-yard rushing touchdown against William & Mary. He transferred to UCF for 2023 but did not appear in a game.
At Middle Tennessee State in 2024, Williams moved to safety because injuries affected the defensive-back room. He appeared in 10 games with nine starts and led the team with 77 tackles, adding three tackles for loss, one interception, three pass breakups and a fumble recovery. At Cincinnati in 2025, he appeared in 12 games and recorded 39 tackles, one forced fumble and one pass defensed. Cincinnati’s media guide lists 14 career defensive appearances with 87 tackles, three tackles for loss, one interception, three pass breakups, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery.
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Sources for this section
Path to the NFL
Williams reached the NFL through a Tampa Bay rookie-minicamp tryout after going undrafted in 2026.
Tampa Bay invited Williams to its 2026 rookie minicamp on a tryout basis as a safety prospect. The Buccaneers signed him as a college free agent on August 9, 2026, giving him his first NFL contract.
The signing followed his 2025 Cincinnati season and his earlier college stops at Middle Tennessee State, UCF and Charlotte. He entered professional football without a draft selection.
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NFL Career
Williams joined Tampa Bay in 2026, but the Buccaneers waived him with an injury designation before his subsequent status became unclear.
Williams was part of Tampa Bay’s 2026 offseason and training-camp roster after signing as a college free agent. The Buccaneers waived him with an injury designation on August 30 while reducing the roster to 53 players.
He was not included in Tampa Bay’s announced 16-player practice squad on August 31. Through the September 11, 2026 cutoff, no later transaction in the reviewed record returned him to the Buccaneers’ active roster or practice squad.
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Career Accomplishments
Williams earned honorable mention All-Conference USA recognition in 2024 after leading Middle Tennessee State in tackles.
In his first season playing defense, Williams started nine games and led Middle Tennessee State with 77 tackles. He recorded 13 tackles against Jacksonville State and again against Liberty.
Conference USA named him an honorable mention selection for the 2024 season. His defensive production and the award followed his move from quarterback to safety.
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Playing Style
Williams combined quarterback rushing ability with high-volume safety tackling after changing positions at Middle Tennessee State.
As a quarterback, Williams contributed both through the air and on the ground; his 2022 Charlotte season included a 67-yard rushing touchdown. At Middle Tennessee State, he shifted to safety and quickly became a regular starter and the team’s leading tackler.
The research supports describing him as a developing safety with quarterback experience, tackling production and a position transition. It does not provide enough player-specific detail to assess his coverage technique, range or projected NFL role.
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Legacy
Williams’ college significance rests on his unusual transition from recruited quarterback to productive defensive contributor at Middle Tennessee State.
He played quarterback at Charlotte, did not appear for UCF, and then became Middle Tennessee State’s leading tackler after moving to safety. His 2024 honorable mention All-Conference USA selection marked his principal individual college recognition.
The four-school path and defensive transition led to an NFL opportunity with Tampa Bay despite his undrafted entry.
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32560, 00-0041592, 2002-10-07, Xavier Williams, Xavier, Williams
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