Evan Williams Bio
Evan Williams (born July 28, 2001) is an American professional football safety for the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League (NFL). Standing 5 ft 11 in and listed at 200 lb, he wears jersey No. 33 and plays as a starting defensive back in the Packers’ secondary. He previously played college football for the Fresno State Bulldogs and the Oregon Ducks before entering the 2024 NFL Draft, where he was selected in the fourth round.
After a productive college career across two programs in different conferences, Williams quickly earned a starting role as a rookie and finished his first NFL season with strong production in tackles, interceptions, and pass breakups. His early professional success established him as a young building block for the Green Bay defense.
Early Life and Background
Evan Williams was born on July 28, 2001, in Los Gatos, California. He grew up in the Bay Area and attended Saint Francis High School in Mountain View, California, where he developed into a college-level defensive back prospect.
Coming out of high school, Williams was regarded as a talented safety recruit and committed to play college football for the Fresno State Bulldogs. His decision to join Fresno State launched a college career that would eventually take him across two major conferences before reaching the NFL.
Path to American Football
Williams began his college journey at Fresno State in 2019, where he immediately saw the field as a true freshman. During that debut season, he recorded 40 tackles, two pass deflections, an interception, a fumble recovery, and a forced fumble, signaling his potential as an every-down safety.
Across four seasons with the Bulldogs, Williams steadily grew into one of the Mountain West Conference’s top defensive backs, earning all-conference recognition in three consecutive years. After the 2022 season, he decided to enter the NCAA transfer portal, seeking a higher level of competition and a larger national stage. His transfer to Oregon positioned him for a breakout senior campaign against top-tier Pac-12 competition and set the stage for his entry into professional football.
Evan Williams Career
Early Career (2019–2020)
Williams opened his Fresno State career with a 40-tackle freshman season in 2019, showing instincts in run support and the passing game. His production included his first collegiate interception along with a forced fumble and a fumble recovery.
In the 2020 season, shortened by the COVID-19 pandemic, Williams posted 27 tackles and another forced fumble. His reliable play earned him an honorable mention selection to the All-Mountain West team, foreshadowing the larger awards that would follow.
Fresno State Breakthrough (2021–2022)
Williams took a major step forward in 2021, starting all season and finishing with 92 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, and three interceptions. His coverage and tackling production made him one of the top defensive players in the Mountain West, and he was named First-Team All-Mountain West for his efforts.
In 2022, Williams continued to produce at a high level, notching 69 tackles, six tackles for loss, a sack, and four pass deflections. He earned Second-Team All-Mountain West recognition, cementing his status as an NFL prospect before entering the transfer portal.
Oregon Era (2023)
Williams transferred to the Oregon Ducks for his senior season in 2023 and quickly became a focal point of the Ducks’ defense. He led the team with 82 tackles while adding 5 tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks, two pass deflections, two fumble recoveries, and a forced fumble.
His do-it-all performance against Pac-12 competition earned him Second-Team All-Pac-12 honors and helped elevate his draft stock heading into the 2024 NFL Draft.
Green Bay Packers Era (2024–Present)
Williams was selected 111th overall by the Green Bay Packers in the fourth round of the 2024 NFL Draft. He was the second of three safeties taken by Green Bay that year, joining a remade safety room headlined by prized free-agent signing Xavier McKinney. Williams signed his rookie contract with the Packers on May 14, 2024.
By Week 4 of his rookie season, Williams had earned the starting safety job opposite McKinney, beating out fellow rookie Javon Bullard, who shifted to the slot and nickel corner role. His strong first-year play was recognized league-wide when he was named to the PFWA All-Rookie Team.
Driving Style and Strengths
Williams is known for his physicality in run support, dependable tackling in space, and improving coverage instincts. He pairs reliable open-field technique with above-average ball production for a young safety, which has allowed Green Bay’s defensive coaches to trust him in multiple roles.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among Williams’s early professional milestones are his rapid rise to a starting role as a fourth-round rookie and his inclusion on the PFWA All-Rookie Team. His career NFL statistics through the 2025 season include 149 total tackles, 4 interceptions, 8 pass deflections, 1 forced fumble, and 1 fumble recovery.
Evan Williams Career Wins
While Williams’s primary statistical achievements come in defensive counting categories rather than win-loss outcomes, his career has featured a steady accumulation of production-based honors. From college conference recognitions to his PFWA All-Rookie selection, his résumé reflects consistent evaluation as one of the more productive defensive backs at each stop.
Fresno State Highlights
Across four seasons at Fresno State, Williams piled up 228 total tackles, multiple interceptions, and multiple forced fumbles. His peak season came in 2021, when he recorded 92 tackles and three interceptions on his way to First-Team All-Mountain West honors.
Oregon Highlights
In his lone season at Oregon, Williams led the Ducks with 82 tackles and added 4.5 sacks and two fumble recoveries. His versatile production earned him Second-Team All-Pac-12 recognition and helped push him into the 2024 NFL Draft conversation.
Other Wins & Perfromances
Williams’s résumé also includes honorable mention All-Mountain West honors in 2020 and Second-Team All-Mountain West recognition in 2022, illustrating year-over-year development at Fresno State.
Evan Williams Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Williams comes from an athletic family. His brother, Bennett Williams, is a former Oregon defensive back who also played in the Canadian Football League, giving Evan a direct family connection to the sport and to the Oregon program he would later join.
Personal Life
Evan Williams is the brother of former Oregon and CFL defensive back Bennett Williams. Beyond that documented family tie, further verified personal-life details are not publicly available in the sources reviewed.
2025 Season Performance
Entering the 2025 season, Evan Williams returns as a starting safety for the Green Bay Packers, having locked down the role opposite veteran Xavier McKinney during his rookie year. His combination of run-support toughness and growing coverage range has made him a foundational piece of the Packers’ defensive backfield as the team looks to build around a young core.
His 149 total tackles, 4 interceptions, 8 pass deflections, 1 forced fumble, and 1 fumble recovery through the most recent statistical update underscore his volume production and three-down capability. Continued growth in coverage and communication within Green Bay’s defensive scheme is expected to be the next step in his development.
For the 2025 campaign, Williams is positioned to remain a full-time starter, with an expanded leadership role in the secondary as one of its returning young veterans. His trajectory suggests a player firmly on track to develop into a long-term contributor for the Packers’ defense.
