Spears, Williams Taken in Third Round of 2023 NFL Draft

NEW ORLEANS – Tulane running back Tyjae Spears and linebacker Dorian Williams were each selected in third round of the 2023 NFL Draft on Friday evening.

Spears was picked 81st overall by the Tennessee Titans and Williams followed 10 spots later, going to the Buffalo Bills.

Friday also marked the first time that the program has had two players selected in the draft's first three rounds since the AFL-NFL merger in 1970.

Spears is the first Green Wave player selected by the Titans since Roydell Williams went 136th overall in the 2005 draft. Williams is the first Tulane player picked by the Bills since J.P. Losman was picked 22nd overall the year before that.

Spears and Williams both took part in Senior Bowl festivities in Mobile, Alabama following a storybook 2022 season. The duo saw the Olive and Blue complete a magical 12-2 campaign, culminating with an American Athletic Conference title and a 46-45 win over USC in the Cotton Bowl. At season's end, the Green Wave finished with a ninth overall ranking, the second-highest in program history.

Bios for both players are below:

Tyjae Spears, RB
Career: Ended his career as the school's all-time leader in yards per carry (6.8), tied for second in 100-yard rushing games (15), tied for third in rushing touchdowns (31), fourth in rushing yards per game (85.6) and sixth in rushing yards (2,910) and total touchdowns (34).

2022: Started all 14 games for the Green Wave … Named Honorable Mention All-American by Phil Steele, American Athletic Conference Offensive Player of the Year, First-Team All-AAC and Most Outstanding Offensive Player in Tulane's 46-45 Cotton Bowl Victory over USC, a game that saw him rush 17 times for 205 yards and a career-high four touchdowns … Led the nation (tied) with 21 total touchdowns and tied for third with 19 rushing touchdowns, a total that stands second in Tulane's single-season records … 1,581 rushing yards led the AAC and is also the program's second-highest single-season total … Posted nine 100-yard rushing games, including eight consecutive to finish the season … Had a Yulman Stadium-record 199 rushing yards in Tulane's 45-28 AAC Championship Game victory over UCF … Named a preseason candidate for the 2022 Doak Walker Award … Earned a place on the 2022 Phil Steele Preseason All-American Athletic Conference Second Team.

2021: Established himself as the Green Wave's top running back with 863 rushing yards and nine touchdowns through 12 games… Rushed for over 100 yards in four of the last five games of the season… Named to the Phil Steele All-American Athletic Conference Second Team at the conclusion of this redshirt freshman season… Ran in his first touchdown of the season versus Morgan State (Sept. 11)… Had his first 100-yard game at home versus Cincinnati, totaling 106 yards and a touchdown (Oct. 30)… Accumulated 112 yards of total offense at UCF (Nov. 6)… Rushed for 104 yards versus Tulsa (Nov.13)… Had 111 yards and two touchdowns in the final home game of the season versus USF (Nov.19)… Had a career to close out the season at Memphis rushing for 264 yards and two touchdowns (Nov. 27).

2020: Saw action in just three games before he suffered a season-ending injury…Despite playing in just three games, he still finished fourth on the team in rushing with 274 yards and averaged an eye-popping 7.4 yards per carry…Opened the year by rushing for 105 yards on just 11 carries against South Alabama (Sept. 12) en route to being named to the American Athletic Conference honor roll…He then followed that performance with 119 yards on just 18 carries against Navy (Sept. 19)…Rushed for 50 yards on eight carries and had two touchdowns against Southern Miss (Sept. 26)…Suffered his season-ending injury as he was rushing for his second touchdown of the day against Southern Miss.

2019: Totaled 192 yards rushing, 133 yards receiving and finished with a pair of touchdowns in just four games...Had eight rushes for 89 yards and a touchdown at home against MSU (Sept. 14)...Picked up 60 rushing yards at Navy (Oct. 26)...Closed out the year at SMU with 31 yards on 10 carries...Earned a redshirt to retain eligibility.

Prior to Tulane: Earned three-star ratings from 247Sports.com and Rivals.com…Totaled 18 touchdowns in his senior season at Ponchatoula, recording 920 rushing yards and 880 receiving yards to total 1,800 in his final year in high school…Helped his team to a 6-1 record in 5A District 6 play in 2016, going 10-3 overall.

Dorian Williams, LB
Career: Finished with 194 solo and 118 assisted tackles for 312 total stops … Also posted 28 tackles for loss, 13 passes defended, 10.5 sacks, two forced fumbles and one fumble recovery.
2022: Started all 14 games for the Green Wave … Named First-Team All-American Athletic Conference … Amassed a career-high 17 tackles in Tulane's Cotton Bowl victory over USC, earning the bowl's Most Outstanding Defensive Player … Picked up AAC Defensive Player of the Week honors following Tulane's 27-13 win over Tulsa, a contest that saw him collect a team-high (tied) 13 tackles, including five on third down, to go with two sacks … Finished third nationally with 81 solo tackles en route to 132 total stops (second in AAC), the nation's 10th-highest total, to go with 8.5 tackles for loss, five sacks (T-8th in AAC) and two forced fumbles … Named to Butkus Award Watch List and participated in Senior Bowl festivities at season's end… Also tabbed a finalist for the 2022 Blanchard-Rogers Trophy, an award that recognizes the state of South Carolina's most outstanding college football player.
2021: Made an impact in all 12 games in 2021… Second on the team in total tackles with 73… Named Phil Steele All-American Athletic Conference Third Team… Opened the season with eight total tackles at Oklahoma (Sept. 4)… Had one tackle versus Morgan State (Sept. 11)… Recorded four tackles and one fumble recovery at Ole Miss (Sept. 18)… Tallied seven tackles and one tackle for a loss of two yards versus UAB (Sept. 25)… Registered eight tackles at ECU (Oct. 2)… Had a season-high nine tackles versus Houston (Oct. 7)… Had seven tackles and a pass break-up on the road at SMU (Oct. 21)… Totaled four tackles at home versus Cincinnati (Oct. 30)… Registered eight tackles at UCF (Nov. 6)… Made five tackles and one tackle for a loss of two yards versus Tulsa (Nov. 13)… Tallied six tackles in the victory over USF (Nov. 19)… Closed out the season with six tackles, 1.0 tackles for a loss of one yard, and 1.0 sacks for a loss of two yards at Memphis (Nov. 27).

2020: Led the American Athletic Conference with 98 total tackles, averaging 8.2 per game…Named to the All-AAC Second Team…Made appearances in all 12 games, starting four…Recorded double-digit tackles in five games as a sophomore…Opened the season with seven total tackles and one tackle for a loss of three yards at South Alabama (Sept. 12)…Made three tackles at home against Navy, adding one sack for a loss of one yard (Sept. 19)…Recorded 10 tackles and one tackle for a loss of seven yards on the road at Southern Miss (Sept. 26)…Had a season-high 12 tackles, three tackles for a loss of four yards and one sack for a loss of one yard at Houston (Oct. 8)…Recorded four tackles, two tackles for a loss of two yards and broke up a pass against SMU (Oct. 16)…Made 11 tackles and broke up one pass at UCF (Oct. 24)…had six tackles, 1.5 tackles for a loss of three yards and assisted on a sack for a loss of two yards at home against Temple (Oct. 31)…Totaled three tackles, 1.5 tackles for a loss of 11 yards and one sack for a loss of 10 yards at ECU (Nov. 7)…Had seven tackles and 1.5 tackles for a loss of three yards at home against Army (Nov. 14)…Recorded 11 tackles, two tackles for a loss of eight yards and one sack for a loss of seven yards at Tulsa (Nov. 19)…Closed the regular season with nine total tackles and one pass breakup against Memphis (Dec. 5)...Finished the season with 14 total tackles, 10 solo, and 2.0 tackles for loss against Nevada in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl (Dec. 22).

2019: Appeared in 11 games...Finished the year with nine tackles...Recorded five tackles at home against FIU (Aug. 29)...Made one tackles at home against MSU (Sep. 14)...Registered two tackles away at Army (Oct. 5)...Picked up five tackles away at Navy (Oct. 26)...Saw action in the 2020 Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl (Jan. 4).

Prior to Tulane: Earned a three-star rating by 247Sports.com…Listed as a two-star prospect by Rivals.com…Listed as the 40th-best prospect in the state of South Carolina according to 247Sports.com…Closed out his senior with 97 tackles, two interceptions, six interceptions, 11 tackles for loss and two fumble recoveries…Helped guide Indian Land to the South Carolina AAA State Playoffs were the team would go on to win its first playoff game since 2005…Also was recruited by Coastal Carolina and Troy.

Spears, Williams Taken in Third Round of 2023 NFL Draft

Players Mentioned

Tyjae Spears

Dorian Williams

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