GLENN GUILBEAU, Tiger Rag Editor
Former LSU running back Josh Williams’ career is not over yet.
After being projected as a possible late round pick in the NFL Draft over the weekend, Williams (5-foot-9, 195 pounds) has signed as a free agent with Tampa Bay. Williams gained 482 yards on 117 carries and scored six touchdowns in his sixth-year senior season in 2024 for the Tigers. He also caught 31 passes for 263 yards.
In LSU’s 44-31 win over Baylor in the Texas Bowl in his hometown of Houston, Williams ended his LSU career with 42 yards rushing and a touchdown on nine carries and caught two passes for 14 yards. He had his best season at LSU in 2022, gaining 532 yards on 97 rushes with six touchdowns and catching 21 passes for 132 yards.
Williams walked on at LSU in 2019 out of Kinkaid High School in Houston and was red-shirted.
“Josh Williams just gives you everything he’s got,” NFL Draft expert Mike Detillier of WWL Radio in New Orleans said before the draft when he projected him to be a late-round pick. “Tough little guy between the tackles. He’s a lot faster than you might think out in the open field. He really catches the ball well. He picks up the blitz very well.”
Four other Tigers were signed as free agents after finishing their LSU careers in 2024. Those were safety Major Burns with Chicago, cornerback Zy Alexander with Seattle, defensive tackle Gio Paez with Chicago and defensive tackle Paris Shand with Buffalo.
LSU saw seven of its players drafted from Thursday through Saturday into the NFL.
WILL CAMPBELL EMOTION LEFT HIM SPEECHLESS
Left tackle Will Campbell went as the fourth overall pick on Thursday night to New England, making him the first offensive lineman from LSU to go in the first round since Alan Faneca went to Pittsburgh in 1998.
Tight end Mason Taylor went as the 42nd pick of the draft in the second round to the New York Jets.
When right tackle Emery Jones went as the 91st pick of the draft in the third round to Baltimore on Friday, it gave LSU its first two top 100 offensive line selections in the draft since 2020. That year, guard Damien Lewis went to Seattle in the third round as the 69th selection and center Lloyd Cushenberry went in the third round as the 83rd pick to Denver.
Also in the third round on Friday, defensive end Sai’vion Jones went as the 101st overall pick to Denver.
On Saturday, defensive end Bradyn Swinson went in the fifth round to New England, and Denver took offensive tackle/guard Miles Frazier later in the same round. The last LSU player drafted was guard Garrett Dellinger in the seventh round to Baltimore.
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