Countdown to Camp: Vince Williams

by Joe Kuzma (joe_kuzma) on July 9, 2017

Countdown to Camp is a series aimed at preparing fans for the Pittsburgh Steelers upcoming training camp by focusing on players who were on the 2016 roster. Each profile will include basic statistics and a hand selected highlight from last year.

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Vince Williams	98
Position	Linebacker
Date of birth	December 27, 1989 (age 27)
Place of birth	Davenport, Florida
Height	6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Weight	250 lb (113 kg)
High school	Davenport (FL) Ridge Com.
College	Florida State
NFL Draft	2013 / Round 6 / Pick 206
Career	Pittsburgh Steelers (2013-present)

Many believe that former sixth-round draft pick Vince Williams has huge shoes to fill taking over for the departed Lawrence Timmons.

If he does, no one has told Vince!

The Steelers linebacker has patiently waited for his time to shine over the years following a rookie season which pressed him into action early. Due to a number of injuries, Williams played in 15 games with 11 starts back in his 2013 season, but only record six starts in the following three. That hasn’t stopped the Flordia State prospect from making his presence felt in relief appearances and special teams snaps.

Filling in for an injured Ryan Shazier last season, Williams recorded a whopping 13 tackles in a single game. He followed that performance with an eight-tackle game, and over a five-game span, Williams piled up 32 solo tackles and a pair of sacks.

He saw his playing time decline with Timmons and Shazier both operating at full capacity. However, with Timmons leaving for Miami, 2017 could be the year Williams breaks free from the shadow cast by his predecessors.