Kansas City rookie Joshua Williams is again at the forefront of this week’s HBCU NFL Report.
The defensive back out of Fayetteville State continues to play significant minutes and make significant contributions for the 8-2 Chiefs.
In Sunday night’s 30-27 last-minute Kansas City win over the Los Angeles Chargers, Williams didn’t start but played starters’ minutes. He was in on 43 snaps on defense, 66 percent of the Chiefs’ plays. He also logged 14 plays on special teams, 48 percent of those snaps.
As the rookie was targeted often, he was third on the team with six total tackles. Four of them were solos.
HBCU NFL Report: Joshua Williams this week
This is what was said about the rookie’s play against the Chargers on Fansided’s arrowheadaddict.com:
So far this season, the 6-3, 193-pound corner taken in the fourth round (135th overall) has 18 solo tackles and one interception.
HBCU NFL Report: Javon Hargrave vs. Grover Stewart
The leading HBCU products on defense this season have been Javon Hargrave of Philadelphia and Grover Stewart of Indianapolis.
Both have been very productive. The extra attention given to them may be the reason their stats were down this week when their teams met.
Hargrave, the seventh-year veteran defensive tackle out of SC State, had just one assisted tackle and one hit on the quarterback in the Eagles’ 17-16 come-from-behind win.
Stewart, the anchor of the Colts’ defensive line in his eighth season out of Albany State, had one solo tackle and a fumble recovery. Stewart was last season’s Black College Player of the Year presented by the NFL Players Association.
HBCU NFL Report: Hargrave and Stewart this season
For the season, Hargrave has 40 total tackles, 19 solos and 21 assists. He had a season-high 13 tackles in the Eagles’ only loss of the season, 32-21 to Washington two weeks ago. His total of 7.0 sacks is tied for 15th in the league but is third among defensive tackles to Kansas City’s Chris Jones (9.0) and the New York Jets’ Quentin Williams (8.0). Hargrave has one forced fumble and two recoveries.
Stewart has 3.0 sacks among his 53 total tackles. He has 38 solos. Stewart has one recovery. In his best outing, Stewart had 12 total tackles, seven solos vs. Tennessee.
HBCU NFL Players of the Week
For games of Nov. 17-21, 2022
DEFENSE
— #23 JOSHUA WILLIAMS, DB, Kansas City (1st season, FAYETTEVILLE STATE) – Was third on the Chiefs with six total tackles, four solos and one special teams’ solo tackle in 30-27 win over the LA Chargers. Williams was busy as he logged 43 (66%) of the defensive plays and 14 (48%) of the special teams’ plays.
OFFENSE
— #60 NICK LEVERETT, OL, Tampa Bay (2nd season, NORTH CAROLINA CENTRAL) – Started at left guard in Bucs 21-16 win over Seattle in Munich, Germany. The Bucs’ offensive line anchored 161 rushing yards and one TD and 258 passing yards with two TDs and no sacks. Leverett was in on 75 offensive plays (100%) and five (19%) on special teams.
SPECIAL TEAMS
— #45 JOE THOMAS, LB, Chicago (8th season, SOUTH CAROLINA STATE) – In 27-24 loss to Atlanta, Thomas had one solo tackle and one assist on defense and an assisted tackle of special teams. He played 12 plays (22%) on defense and 19 (70%) on special teams.
OTHER TOP PERFORMANCES
OFFENSE
— #12 KHADAREL HODGE, WR, Atlanta (6th season, PRAIRIE VIEW A&M) – In 27-24 win over Chicago, Hodge had one reception in his only target for 13 yards. Hodge was in on six (11%) of the Falcons’ offensive plays and 16 (69%) of the special teams’ plays.
— #71 TYTUS HOWARD, OT, Houston (4th season, ALABAMA STATE – Howard started at right tackle in 23-10 loss to Washington. Houston rushed for 21 yards and one TD and passed for 169 yards with two picks. The Texans offensive line gave up five sacks. Howard played all 56 (100%) offensive plays and two (7%) of the plays on special teams.
— #78 TRENT SCOTT, OT, Pittsburgh (5th season, GRAMBLING STATE) — In 37-30 loss to Cincinnati, Scott did not play.
— # JA’TYRE CARTER, OL, Chicago (1st season, SOUTHERN) – Did not play in 27-24 loss to Atlanta, Carter was not active.
DEFENSE
— #33 ANTONIO HAMILTON, DB, Arizona (7th season, SOUTH CAROLINA STATE) – Hamilton started at cornerback in 38-10 loss to San Francisco. Hamilton finished with three total tackles in 58 (100%) of the defensive snaps. He was in on eight (11%) of the plays on special teams.
— #97 JAVON HARGRAVE, DT, Philadelphia (7th season, SOUTH CAROLINA STATE) – Started at defensive tackle in 17-16 win over Indianapolis and finished with one assisted tackle and one hit on the quarterback. Hargrave was in on 47 (72%) of the defensive snaps and six (24%) of the special teams’ snaps.
— #36 DANNY JOHNSON, DB, Washington, (5th season, SOUTHERN) – In 23-10 win over Houston, Johnson had one solo tackle on defense. He played 11 (20%) of the defensive snaps and 11 (41%) of the special teams’ snaps.
— #90 GROVER STEWART, DT, Indianapolis (6th season, ALBANY STATE) – In 17-16 loss to Philadelphia, Stewart had one solo tackle and a fumble recovery. Stewart was in on 52 (76%) of the defensive plays and and nine plays (36%) on special teams.
— #14 DECOBIE DURANT, DB, LA Rams (1st season, SOUTH CAROLINA STATE) – In 27-20 loss to New Orleans, Durant did not have a stat in 11 (35%) plays on special teams.
— #53 SHAQUILLE LEONARD, LB, Indianapolis (5th season, SOUTH CAROLINA STATE) – Was inactive in 17-16 loss to Philadelphia.
— #56 QUINTON BELL, OLB, Atlanta (2nd year, PRAIRIE VIEW A&M) – Was not active in 27-24 win over Chicago.
— #41 MARKQUESE BELL, DB, Dallas (1st season, FLORIDA A&M) – Was not active in 40-3 win over Minnesota.
SPECIAL TEAMS
— #7 JAMIE GILLAN, P, NY Giants (5th season, ARKANSAS-PINE BLUFF) – In 31-28 loss to Detroit, Gillan punted four times for 153 yards (38.3-yard average, 38.3-yard net) with two downed inside the 20. He had a long punt of 51 yards. He was in on six (23%) special teams plays.