Riptide’s Reflections is The Tulane Hullabaloo’s weekly column talking all things Tulane football. Join us every Wednesday for in-depth coverage, analysis and opinion of the Green Wave. 

Linebacker Dorian Williams has been heating up at just the right time for the Tulane Green Wave. The Indian Land, South Carolina native has become the dominant defensive anchor who strikes fear in opposing quarterbacks everywhere.

Over the past two games, he led the team in total tackles, solo tackles and sacks. In the 27-13 victory over the Tulsa Golden Hurricanes, Williams had 13 total tackles and managed to take down the quarterback twice. His first sack in the second quarter completely halted Tulsa’s offensive game plan, forcing them to punt on fourth down.

Williams was also critical in stopping the run game. He and fellow stud linebacker Nick Anderson each got 13 total tackles, stifling Tulsa’s running backs from making big plays. Their combined efforts held Tulsa to a putrid 111 yards on 3.3 yards per attempt the whole game.

Williams is possibly the most physically gifted player on the Green Wave roster. Standing at an imposing 6-foot-2-inches and 230 lbs, he has the size and strength to bring down even the toughest offensive players. He matches this great size with lightning fast speed and vision to close the distance on shifty opponents.

Williams first burst onto the scene his sophomore season with the Green Wave. Despite starting just four games in 2020, he led the entire American Athletic Conference with 98 total tackles and made All-AAC Second Team. He also managed to get 4.5 sacks on opposing quarterbacks, and he made 16.5 tackles for loss.

He took a step back his junior year but so did the rest of the team during the ugly 2021 season. In spite of the team’s poor overall performance that season, Williams was still able to make an impact with 73 total tackles, and he made the All-AAC Third Team.

Through the nine games he’s played so far, it looks like Williams can surpass the heights of his 2020 season. With 71 total tackles and four sacks so far, he’s already well exceeded his performance from last season. He currently has the seventh-most total tackles in the AAC, with all the potential to climb higher.

Williams’ dominant performances this season have garnered him national media attention. His strong season earned him an invitation to participate in the Senior Bowl, an all-star event for the top seniors across the country. This presents an amazing opportunity for Williams to put on a show in front of the national media and even NFL scouts. 

Williams will be just the 48th player in the program’s history to participate in the Senior Bowl. The last Tulanian to earn an invitation was defensive lineman Cameron Sample after the 2020 season. He showed out with seven tackles and half a sack, earning defensive player of the game honors. His strong showcase propelled his draft stock in the 2021 NFL Draft, where the Cincinnati Bengals selected him in the fourth round. 

If Williams can maintain his stellar performance on the season and carry it into the Senior Bowl, he may get the chance to hear his name called in the 2023 NFL Draft.