karlos williams

Karlos Jermell Williams Sr. was born on May 4, 1993, in Davenport, Florida. He attended Ridge Community High School where he was a highly-rated three-sport athlete excelling in football, track, and basketball. Rivals.com ranked him as the second-best safety and eighth-best player overall in his class. Williams continued his athletic career at Florida State University, initially playing safety for his first two years. During his freshman year in 2011, he played in 12 games as a backup safety and return specialist. In 2012, he continued in a similar role across 14 games with one start.

A significant shift in Williams’ college career occurred in 2013 when he transitioned from safety to running back after the first game of his junior season. His debut as a running back was marked by a 65-yard touchdown run. That year, he accumulated 730 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns on 91 carries. In 2014, he started his senior season as the primary running back, later playing behind Dalvin Cook. He concluded his final college season with 689 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns on 150 carries. During his time at Florida State, Williams was part of the team that won the BCS National Championship Game in 2014.

Williams was drafted by the Buffalo Bills in the fifth round (155th overall) of the 2015 NFL Draft. His professional career started notably, with his first NFL carry being a 26-yard touchdown run against the Indianapolis Colts. In Week 3 of the 2015 season, he surpassed 100 rushing yards for the first time, achieving 110 yards and two touchdowns against the Miami Dolphins, including a 41-yard scoring run. He sustained a concussion in Week 4, causing him to miss three games, but returned to play in Week 9. He ended his rookie season tying a record by scoring a touchdown in his first six consecutive games, a feat previously held by Robert Edwards. After one season with the Bills, Williams was released in August 2016.