LAS VEGAS — Former University of Oklahoma defensive back Roy Williams was officially inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame Tuesday night during the 64th NFF Annual Awards Dinner at the Bellagio Hotel. Williams was part of a class of 18 former players and three coaches inducted into the College Hall of Fame.

One of Oklahoma's best and most versatile defenders of the 21st century, Williams became Oklahoma's 23rd former player in the College Hall of Fame and fourth straight defender (defensive back Rickey Dixon in 2019 and linebackers Brian Bosworth in 2015 and Rod Shoate in 2013).

Williams played at OU from 1998-2001 and by the time his career was over he was more feared by offensive opponents and more respected by his defensive peers than any player in the country.
 
As a freshman in 1998, he flashed promise in the first three games of the year before sustaining a back injury that sidelined him the rest of the season. In 1999, Williams earned third-team freshman All-America honors from The Sporting News, playing in all 12 games and breaking into the starting lineup for OU's final five contests. He finished with 75 total tackles (14 in the regular season finale against Oklahoma State) and two interceptions, and ranked fourth on the team with 11 pass breakups.
 
As a redshirt sophomore in 2000, the safety was one of the defensive stars on a Sooners team that went 13-0 and held Florida State's offense scoreless in a 13-2 Orange Bowl win (the BCS National Championship game) to earn the school's seventh national title. He finished the year with 99 tackles, 13 tackles for loss, two interceptions, 10 pass breakups and two fumble recoveries en route to first-team All-Big 12 honors by league coaches and Associated Press and first-team All-America acclaim by Rivals.com.
 
The next year, the Union City, Calif., product was even more productive, winning the Nagurski Award as the nation's top defender and the Thorpe Award as the nation's top defensive back. The unanimous All-American was also named Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year and came in seventh in Heisman Trophy voting, the highest finish of the year by a non-quarterback. He ended the year with 107 tackles, 14 tackles for loss, five interceptions, 22 pass breakups and three fumble recoveries.
 
Williams' infamous pass deflection in the Texas backfield while flying over a Longhorn blocking back with two minutes remaining in the 2001 Red River game resulted in a touchdown by linebacker Teddy Lehman and a 14-3 Sooners victory. Monikered the "Superman" play because he was horizontal to the ground while making it, it remains one of the most revered moments in program history. Williams further dashed Texas' comeback hopes that day in Dallas with a leaping interception on the Longhorns' next offensive play.
 
Williams bypassed his senior season of eligibility to enter the 2002 NFL Draft and was selected with the eighth pick in the first round by the Dallas Cowboys. He enjoyed a nine-year NFL career with the Cowboys (2002-08) and Cincinnati Bengals (2009-10), earning first-team All-Pro honors in 2003 and Pro Bowl honors five times (2003-07). He finished his pro career with 110 starts in his 114 games, 596 tackles, 24 tackles for loss, 7.5 sacks, 20 interceptions (returned for 307 yards and three touchdowns), 59 pass deflections, 10 forced fumbles and 11 fumble recoveries.
 
In 2003, Williams contributed $100,000 toward OU's new 4,500-square-foot "Roy Strength Training Facility." Now the program's secondary weight room, it is referred to as "The Roy" among players and staff.
 
Williams was inducted into the Cotton Bowl Hall of Fame in 2018 for his efforts in OU's 10-3 win over Arkansas in his final career game.