Wesley Williams

Duke 2025 team captains Wesley Williams, Darian Mensah, Aaron Hall and Justin Pickett, wearing white Sun Bowl champions hats and blue Duke jerseys, stand with the Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl trophies and celebrate the 42-39 victory against Arizona State on December 31, 2025.

Photo by: Duke Athletics

Duke defensive end Wesley Williams, wearing a white helmet, white jersey and white pants, makes a move to avoid an offensive linemanw versus No. 16 Virginia in the 2025 ACC Championship Game.

Photo by: Duke Athletics

Duke defenders Elliott Schaper and Wesley Williams combine on a quarterback sack during the Blue Devils' 45-21 victory at Cal on October 4, 2025.

Photo by: Duke Athletics

Defensive end Wesley Williams, wearing an all black Duke uniform, prepares to rush the quarterback against NC State on September 20, 2025.

Photo by: Duke Athletics

Duke defenders Jaiden Francois and Wesley Williams combine for a tackle against Elon in the 2025 season opener.

Photo by: Duke Athletics

Photo by: Duke Athletics

Wesley Williams rushes the quarterback at No. 5 Miami.

Photo by: Duke Athletics

Wes Williams tackles a Florida State player.

Photo by: Duke Athletics

Wesley Williams readies for a tackle against SMU.

Photo by: Duke Athletics

VJ Anthony, Ozzie Nicholas and Wesley Williams celebrate a fumble recovery at Northwestern.

Photo by: Duke Athletics

Wesley Williams during Duke's spring game

Position:
Defensive End
Height:
6-3
Class:
Redshirt Junior
Hometown:
Gainesville, Va.

CAREER: Three-year letterman (2023-24-25) … Honorable Mention All-ACC honoree in 2024 and 2025 … team captain in 2025 … 2024 Academic All-ACC selection … helped Duke to a program-record 35 wins over four seasons, four bowl game appearances (2022 Military Bowl, 2023 76 Birmingham Bowl, 2024 TaxSlayer Gator Bowl and 2025 Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl), three bowl victories and Duke's first ACC championship since 1960 … in 41 career games (29 starts), compiled 131 tackles, 29.0 TFL, 11.0 sacks, one caused fumble, one fumble recovery, four PBUs, 28 QB pressures and five blocked kicks ... on the Duke record chart, finished tied for tied for third in QB pressures … recorded 2+ tackles on 32 occasions and 4+ tackles 15 times … logged a career-high nine tackles at California in 2025 … posted 1.0+ TFL on 16 occasions, 2.0+ in six games and a career-high 3.5 versus California in 2025 ... the ACC’s only defensive lineman to accumulate 7.0 or more TFL in league contests in both 2024 and 2025 ... carded 1.0+ sacks in six tilts with a personal-best 2.0 at Middle Tennessee in 2024 ... blocked two field goals in the 2023 season opener against Clemson ... blocked a punt in the 2024 season opener versus Elon and added a blocked field goal against Florida State in 2024 … blocked a field goal against NC State in 2025 … played 1,868 career snaps.

2025: Honorable Mention All-ACC selection … team captain … recipient of the team’s defensive most valuable player award … played in and started all 14 games and compiled 44 tackles, 9.0 TFL, 2.0 sacks, one fumble recovery, one PBU, 16 QB pressures and one blocked kick … finished seventh in Duke single-season history with 16 QB pressures … led the squad in QB pressures and ranked third in TFL … ranked tied for 20th in the ACC in total TFL … part of a Duke defense that featured three players with 9.0+ TFL (Vincent Anthony Jr. — 13.0 & Aaron Hall — 11.0) ... Duke was one of just three programs in the ACC to have three or more players with 9.0+ TFL, joining Miami and Clemson ... posted 2+ tackles 10 times, 5+ three times and booked a year-best nine at California … registered 2.0+ TFL twice with a year-high 3.5 at California … carded a season-best 1.5 sacks at California ... credited with 2+ QB pressures in four contests … tallied three PBU, tied for the fourth most in a game in program history, in the ACC Championship Game versus Virginia and in the regular season contest with NC State … lone pass breakup was also versus the Cavaliers in the title tilt … recovered a fumble and blocked a field goal against NC State … on the field for 683 snaps.

2024: Honorable Mention All-ACC honoree ... Academic All-ACC selection ... recipient of the team’s defensive lineman of the year award … saw action in all 13 games (12 starts) ... only game not started was versus Virginia Tech ... totaled 48 tackles, 13.5 TFL, 7.5 sacks, one caused fumble, two PBUs, nine QB pressures, two blocked kicks and one safety … topped the Blue Devils and tied for fifth in the league in sacks ... sack total was good for the eighth most in a year in program history ... led Duke and ranked ninth in the ACC in TFL ... part of a Duke defense that featured four players with 9.5+ TFL (Alex Howard — 14.5, Vincent Anthony Jr. — 9.5 & Cameron Bergeron — 9.5) ... Duke was one of just three programs in the ACC to have four players with 9.5+ TFL, joining Clemson and Pitt ... TFL and sacks in 2024 more than doubled career totals entering the campaign ... tied for fourth nationally and led the ACC with two blocked kicks ... notched 2+ tackles on 12 occasions and 4+ tackles six times … logged a season-high eight tackles against Virginia Tech … registered 1.0+ TFL on seven occasions, 2.0+ in four games and a year-best 2.5 against Florida State, NC State and Wake Forest ... credited with 1.0+ sack in four tilts, including a year-high 2.0 at Middle Tennessee … logged 1+ QB pressure in seven games with a year-high two versus North Carolina and Ole Miss … lone PBUs came against Connecticut and NC State … blocked a punt in the season opener versus Elon and added a blocked field goal versus Florida State ... scored Duke's first points against NC State with a safety … on the field for 620 snaps.

2023: Recipient of the team’s defensive rookie of the year award … saw action in all 13 games, making three starts against Notre Dame, NC State and Troy … compiled 39 tackles, 6.5 TFL, 1.5 sacks, one PBU, three QB pressures and two blocked kicks … notched 2+ tackles on 10 occasions and 4+ tackles four times … logged a season-high seven tackles against Virginia … registered 1.0+ TFL on five occasions, including a season-best 1.5 against Florida State … tallied a solo sack against the Seminoles … logged one QB pressure in contests with Clemson, NC State and North Carolina … only PBU came against Lafayette … blocked two field goals in the season opener against Clemson to become the first Duke player to achieve the feat since Joe Giles Harris on November 3, 2018 … on the field for 553 snaps.

2022: Recipient of the team’s defensive scout team player of the year award ... played in one game against North Carolina A&T ... on the field for 12 snaps ... enrolled at Duke in January, 2022.

PRIOR TO DUKE: Lettered four seasons at Battlefield under head coach Scott Girolmo … three-star prospect by 247Sports.com and Rivals.com … charted as the No. 16 prospect from the state of Virginia, according to Rivals.com … recorded 105 tackles, 32 TFL, 13.5 sacks, one INT, three forced fumbles and two TDs during senior season … helped Battlefield to a 27-13 overall record, including a state semifinal appearance as a senior … two-time first team all-district as a defensive end … also lettered two seasons in basketball, earning honorable mention honors ... following senior year, named the recipient of the 30th annual Franklin D. Watkins Memorial Award, an honor presented to the nation’s top African-American high school scholar-athlete, joining former Duke lettermen Zavier Carmichael, Rakavius Chambers, Jaylen Coleman, Matt Daniels, Mataeo Durant, Brandon Hill, Jordan Moore, Vince Oghobaase, Michael Reese and Deion Williams, along with current team member Bryce Davis, as finalists for the award.

PERSONAL: Majoring in public policy … son of Orson and Paula Williams … cousin, Kaleb Oliver, lettered three seasons as a defensive back at Georgia Tech (2018-19-20) and one season at Western Kentucky University (2021) … uncle, Jermaine Belin, lettered four seasons as an offensive lineman at Boise State University (1995-96-97-98), and earned All-Big West Conference honors in 1997.