Ole Miss Rookie DE Sam Williams Draws Raves from Cowboys Coaches

“I think we’d all agree that Sam Williams looks like a guy that was born to play professional football,’’ McCarthy says.

According to the Dallas Cowboys coaching staff, former Ole Miss defensive end Sam Williams "has the gifts'' to become a serious playmaker for the franchise. 

Williams was the second-round pick of the Dallas Cowboys in the 2022 NFL Draft last month and kicked off his first rookie mini-camp practice with the franchise on Friday.

The Cowboys staff not holding back in its praise for Williams, who has already made a strong impression inside The Star.

Head Mike McCarthy is raving about Williams, saying, “I think we’d all agree that Sam Williams looks like a guy that was born to play professional football.''

This mirrors what defensive coordinator Dan Quinn recalled from when he first saw Williams in person at an Ole Miss pre-draft workout.

"Leaving the field that day, I remember telling Mike, 'Man I'd really like to coach that guy.' So that's a good feeling to have."

DQ and Williams

Sam Williams

Quinn

The Cowboys believe they did their research and cleared up any behavior concerns about Williams (see "I Didn't Do Anything'' here). And now they seem to be instant believers in the guy they made the 56th overall pick. ... coming to a roster looking to replace free-agent loss Randy Gregory.

Said McCarthy: “He has the gifts. He has the physical traits. He had two pass rushes (Friday and) ... he was clean in the backfield. He has that kind of ability. He’s in a great place.''

Williams is pleased as well - with the coaches and with this "place.'' He joked that when he made a 30 visit to DFW, he considered missing "my flight on purpose so I wouldn't have to leave.

"It's just a connection that I can't explain. With DQ and the other guys, it's just different."

Williams (6-4, 265), who had 12 sacks and 16 tackles for loss last season with the Rebels, earning first-team All-SEC honors, is pleased with what he's being taught so far.

"Coaches were pumping us up, but teaching us at the same time,'' said Williams, who has also cleared up that while his family calls him "De'' (his given name is Samuel Degarrick Williams), he'll stick with "Sam.''

"You can't ask for anything better than that."

And the Cowboys seemingly believe they can't ask for much more from a second-round pick than they might get with Sam Williams.

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