By TYLER HATHAWAY
The preseason is the best opportunity for teams to get a good look at the players they just drafted in the latest NFL draft. Players who make good impressions in the time on the field given to them are usually rewarded with not only a roster spot, but playing time when the regular season comes.
Rookie linebacker Dorian Williams made an impression and more Saturday in Buffalo’s 23-19 preseason win over the Indianapolis Colts. The Tulane product led the Bills’ defense with seven tackles, all in the first half, including a play late in the second quarter where he broke through the Colts’ offensive line and tackled running back Jake Funk for a small loss while Indianapolis was facing first and goal on Buffalo’s one-yard-line.
“He’s made tremendous strides,” said Bills linebackers coach Bobby Babich earlier this week. “Obviously his physical tools are there. It’s about how we can get him to play the fastest he can possibly play to affect the game in a positive way for the Bills.”
The same drive that Williams’ made the goal line play was the best statistical drive for the rookie, with four of his seven tackles coming on that drive alone. He came into the game after the defense’s first two possessions, and played until halftime. He did not play in the second half.
Williams, a 6’1, 229-pound linebacker from the University of Tulane, was drafted by the Bills in the third round of the 2023 NFL Draft with the 91st pick. Williams played for Tulane from 2019-2022, and had a senior campaign in 2022 where he led the Green Wave with 122 tackles, while also adding five sacks, two forced fumbles, and two interceptions. Williams was named the Defensive MVP of the 2023 Cotton Bowl Classic after a 17-tackle performance in Tulane’s 46-45 win over No. 10 ranked USC.
The game was head coach Sean McDermott’s first game calling the defense for the Bills after defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier announced he was taking a year off from coaching. The Bills defense held the Colts to 13 points (six of the Colts’ 19 points came from an interception returned for a touchdown), forced two turnover on downs, intercepted a pass, and had three sacks. However, the Bills had eight penalties accounting for 59 yards.
“It was fun to be back out there and kind of rolling up my sleeves a little bit,” McDermott told reporters after the game. “Still working on the communication piece, we’ll go back just like we do with players and evaluate that, talk about some areas we have to improve on.”
Buffalo hits the road to play Pittsburgh for their second preseason game on August 19th at 6:30 PM at Acrisure Stadium.
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