NFL CAREER – After being selected in the second round of the 2017 NFL Draft (42nd overall) out of the University of Utah, this instinctive safety has started all 46 regular season games he has appeared in at free safety, totaling 178 tackles, one sack, ten interceptions, 22 passes defensed, two forced fumble, one fumble recovery and eight special teams stops. Williams, whose ten picks since 2017 leads the Saints, looks to build on his first three NFL seasons and continue to grow with one of the NFL's most talented defensive backfields heading into 2020.
CAREER TRANSACTIONS –Signed by Saints to four-year contract, 6/2/17; Selected by Saints in the second round (42nd overall) of the 2017 NFL Draft.
2019 – Started all 16 games at free safety for the Saints and recorded 53 tackles (38 solo), a team-high four interceptions, including a 55-yard return for a touchdown at Tampa Bay, a career-high 13 passes defensed, one forced fumble and two special teams tackles…Started and recorded a postseason career-high ten tackles (five solo) in NFC Wild Card Playoff vs. Minnesota, 1/5/20…Finished with two tackles (one solo), one interception and two passes defensed in opener vs. Houston, Sept. 9…Picked off Dak Prescott late in fourth quarter to seal 12-10 victory vs. Dallas, Sept. 29, adding two solo stops and a pass defensed…Posted five tackles (two solo) and two passes defensed at Jacksonville, Oct. 13…Made four tackles (three solo), a pass defensed, forced a fumble and added career-high two special teams tackles at Chicago, Oct. 20…Recorded seven tackles (five solo), a fourth quarter interception to keep New Orleans' hopes alive and a career-high and team-high four passes defensed vs. Atlanta, Nov. 10…Returned a pick of Jameis Winston 55 yards for a TD and added four solo tackles and two passes defensed at Tampa Bay, Nov. 17…Tied season-high of seven tackles (season-best six solo) in Thanksgiving night win at Atlanta, Nov. 28. 2018 – Started all 16 games at free safety, totaling 55 tackles (46 solo), one sack, two interception returns for a club-best 100 yards, three passes defensed, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery. Started both postseason contests and posted seven tackles (three solo)…Finished with three solo tackles, one pass defensed and a fourth quarter interception of Tyrod Taylor returned for 22 yards with New Orleans trailing 12-10 vs. Cleveland, Sept. 16. Added a special teams tackle…Tallied four tackles (three solo) and one interception brought back 78 yards, helping set up a Saints touchdown with two seconds before halftime at Cincinnati, Nov. 11…Recorded a strip sack, forced fumble and fumble recovery with five solo tackles vs. Atlanta, Nov. 22. 2017 – Started all 15 games he appeared in as a rookie, posting 70 tackles (56 solo), four interceptions, six pass deflections and two passes defensed. Led all rookie safeties in interceptions and was ranked second for a rookie safety in total tackles and passes defensed. Posted his first career postseason interception, the only pick made by a rookie in the 2017 postseason…In opener at Minnesota, Sept. 11,started at free safety in his first regular season game and recorded five tackles...At Carolina, Sept. 24, started in three-safety set and made two assisted tackles, his first career interception and a pass defensed…Tied for team lead with five tackles (five solo) and added a coverage stop at Miami in London's Wembley Stadium, Oct. 1...At Atlanta Dec. 7, recorded six tackles (five solo), a 12-yard interception return and a pass defensed…Started and played on special teams and posted five tackles (four solo) and one coverage stop vs. N.Y. Jets, Dec. 17…Vs. Atlanta Dec. 24, Recorded five tackles (four solo)…Finished with a career-high eight tackles (career-high seven solo), career-high two interceptions and two passes defensed at Tampa Bay, Dec. 31…Started both postseason games…In NFC Wild Card win vs. Carolina, 1/7/18, recorded eight tackles (six solo) and one pass defensed…Finished with five tackles, an interception and two passes defensed in NFC Divisional Playoff at Minnesota, 1/14/18.
COLLEGE CAREER – Productive three-year letterman at Utah who became a contributor immediately and started his last two seasons for a rising Pac-12 program. An All-Pac 12 selection his final two years and he departed with 11 interceptions, including five each in his sophomore and junior campaigns. His career totals in 37 contests with 30 starts included 189 stops, four tackles for loss, 19 passes defensed, four forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries…In his final campaign at Utah, Williams opened all 11 games he played in and finished with 64 tackles, one tackle for loss, five picks, eight passes defensed, two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries as he was a second-team Pro Football Focus All-American and a second-team All-Pac-12 selection…Graduated in 2019 with a degree in sociology.
PERSONAL – Was a first-team All-Big VIII selection at Eleanor Roosevelt (Eastvale, Calif.) HS...60 tackles, six interceptions (returned for 175 yards), one pass breakup and a forced fumble senior season...41 receptions for 924 yards (22.5 avg.) and nine touchdowns on offense...216 receiving yards and two TDs as a junior…Also played basketball and competed in track and field…6'5'' best high jump…Had a 4.0 grade point average in high school…Enjoys fishing…Participated in the club's Chevron Boys and Girls Club Christmas party for local youth in 2018…Held a youth football camp at his high school in 2019…In April, 2019 spoke to student at Our Lady of Prompt Succor School in Chalmette about the importance of education…In May, 2018, participated in the #DoRight4LA event at the NFL YET Center with local youth…In November, participated in an instructional football camp at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center for members of the Youth Empowerment Project…Marcus Alan Williams was born Sept. 8, 1996 in Ponoma, Calif.
