D. J. Williams

D. J. Williams (born November 15, 1999) is an American professional football running back. He most recently played for the Calgary Stampeders of the Canadian Football League (CFL). He played college football for the Auburn Tigers, Florida State Seminoles and Arizona Wildcats.

Early life Williams was born on November 15, 1999. He is a nephew of Pro Football Hall of Fame running back Edgerrin James. He attended Sebring High School in Florida and played quarterback, throwing for 1,113 yards and 13 touchdowns as a senior while also running for 1,221 yards and 21 touchdowns. He received little attention as a recruit after being injured as a junior, but then received significant attention for his strong senior season.

College career As a true freshman at Auburn in 2019, Williams ran 84 times for 400 yards and two touchdowns, also catching five receptions for 32 yards, with a top performance of 130 rushing yards against national champion LSU. Limited by injuries as a sophomore in 2020, he totaled 34 rushes for 199 yards that year, placing third on the team. He transferred to the Florida State Seminoles after the season.

Williams saw limited action with the Seminoles in 2021, appearing in only six games and totaling 10 rushes for 47 yards. He entered the NCAA transfer portal a second time following the 2021 season, committing to the Arizona Wildcats. In 2022, he appeared in all 12 games for Arizona and finished with 60 rush attempts for 376 yards and three touchdowns. As a senior in 2023, he made one start and posted 85 rushes for 372 yards and five touchdowns.

Professional career

Tampa Bay Buccaneers After going unselected in the 2024 NFL draft, Williams signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as an undrafted free agent on May 10, 2024. He was released on August 27, 2024, and re-signed to the practice squad the following day. He was elevated to the active roster for the team's Week 6 game against the New Orleans Saints. He signed a reserve/future contract on January 14, 2025. He was waived on July 31.

Calgary Stampeders On September 14, 2025, Thompson signed with the Calgary Stampeders. He spent the remainder of the season on the practice roster and his contract expired on November 2, 2025.