Football | 5/13/2025 4:00:00 PM
BALTIMORE, Md. (May 13, 2025) — The Minnesota Vikings bolstered their defense on Monday, officially signing defensive lineman Elijah Williams to their roster. Williams, who impressed the coaching staff during the team’s rookie minicamp as a tryout participant, earned himself a contract and a chance to compete for a spot on the final roster.
The addition of Williams brings a young and hungry player into the Vikings’ defensive mix, adding depth and competition to a unit looking to improve its performance in the upcoming season. His successful tryout provides Williams with a valuable opportunity to prove himself at the NFL level.
Hailing from Jersey City, New Jersey, Williams carved out a name for himself as one of the most dominant defensive forces to ever wear a Morgan State uniform. His senior season became a veritable trophy haul, a testament to his relentless pursuit of excellence. The accolades poured in: MEAC Defensive Player of the Year, AFCA Championship Subdivision Coaches’ All-American, a coveted spot as a Buck Buchanan Award finalist, BOXTOROW HBCU All-American, and Stats Perform FCS All-American. Further solidifying his place among the nation’s elite, Williams was recognized as one of just ten finalists for the Urban Edge Network’s inaugural HBCU+ National Player of the Year Award.
Williams played in 42 games at Morgan State from 2021-24, recording 216 tackles, 52 tackles for loss, 31 sacks, three passes defensed, three forced fumbles and a fumble recovery. In his final season with the Bears, Williams registered career highs in games played (12) and sacks (11), and his 15 tackles for loss were the second most in a season in his career, trailing only his total from the 2022 season (19). Williams, who logged 4.0 sacks as a freshman in 2021, tallied at least 7.0 sacks in each of his final three seasons from 2022-24.
His remarkable contributions on the field have propelled him to a spot in the annals of the MEAC, where his career sack total ranks seventh all-time. Notably, he finds himself in close company with fellow Bear James Dozier, who holds the sixth position with his own impressive count of 31.5 sacks from 1987 to 1990.
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ABOUT MORGAN
Morgan State University, founded in 1867, is a Carnegie-classified high research (R2) institution offering nearly 140 academic programs leading to degrees from the baccalaureate to the doctorate. As Maryland’s Preeminent Public Urban Research University, and the only university to have its entire campus designated as a National Treasure by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, Morgan serves a multiethnic and multiracial student body and seeks to ensure that the doors of higher education are opened as wide as possible to as many as possible. For more information about Morgan State University, visit
www.morgan.edu.
