The Toronto Argonauts have signed American defensive lineman Jordan Williams, a name that has suddenly become ultra-popular in the CFL.
The six-foot-five, 285-pound defender played nine games as a member of the USFL’s Memphis Showboats in 2023 and made 21 tackles and 5.5 sacks.
The 24-year-old went unselected in the 2022 NFL Draft and signed with the Miami Dolphins, though he was waived partway through training camp.
The Virginia native started his collegiate career at Clemson University, making 55 tackles, four sacks, and one forced fumble over 38 games for the Tigers. He finished his NCAA eligibility at Virginia Tech University in 2021 and made 33 tackles and 2.5 sacks in 11 games for the Hokies.
Williams is not to be confused with linebacker Jordan Williams, who also plays for the Toronto Argonauts. The native of Baltimore, Md. qualified for Canadian status through his mother and was selected with the first overall pick in the 2020 CFL Draft by the B.C. Lions.
The Lions signed another linebacker by the name of Jordan Williams that same year, a native of Paris, Texas who went to Baylor University. The club referred to him as Jordan M. Williams to differentiate the two, with his Canadian counterpart being dubbed Jordan X. Williams. Jordan M. Williams never dressed for a regular season game for the Lions and now plays for the San Antonio Brahmas of the UFL.
It remains to be seen how the Argonauts will differentiate defensive lineman Jordan Williams from linebacker Jordan Williams, though the latter remains a pending free agent and isn’t guaranteed to be back with the team.
To make matters even more complicated, an edge rusher named Jordan Williams recently spent five seasons in the NFL as a member of the New York Jets, Miami Dolphins, New York Giants, and Tennessee Titans. He played linebacker and defensive line, which are apparently the only two positions people named Jordan Williams are allowed to play.
The 30-year-old native of Gainesville, Fla. has been out of football since 2019, though it remains to be seen if a CFL team will try to recruit him for 2024. If he ever comes north, be sure to have your program handy.
