New Orleans Bound
5/1/2021 8:48:00 PM | Football
Nolan Cooney and Trill Williams ink deals with Saints
Following Andre Cisco and Ifeatu Melifonwu being selected in the third round of the NFL Draft on Friday, Trill Williams and Nolan Cooney will join them in the league.
Williams and Cooney both signed undrafted free agent contracts with the New Orleans Saints on Saturday.
DAY 2 NFL DRAFT RECAP
Williams was known as a play-making defensive back in his time at SU, which was cut short due to injuries that forced him to opt out of his junior season in 2021 to prepare for the draft. In 28 games, he had 93 tackles, four interceptions and three touchdowns.
Williams' electrifying touchdowns came in big moments and exciting fashion, blocking a punt for a score in his freshman season, a 'strip-six' where he ripped the ball away from a Wake Forest wide receiver for a walk-off score in overtime in 2019, and scoring off a lateraled interception in 2020 vs. Georgia Tech.
Cooney emerged as a stout replacement for Sterling Hofrichter – who he now plays in the same division as. In Cooney's lone season of work as the team's starting punter, he was named an All-American by Pro Football Focus and was a Third Team All-ACC selection. He had 74 punts this season for a 44.8 yard average. 25 of those punts went for 50+ yards, 24 were downed inside the 20 and only three were touchbacks.
Most of the Orange's other draft eligible players elected to utilize their additional season of eligibility due to the COVID-19 pandemic and return in 2021.
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Williams and Cooney both signed undrafted free agent contracts with the New Orleans Saints on Saturday.
DAY 2 NFL DRAFT RECAP
Williams was known as a play-making defensive back in his time at SU, which was cut short due to injuries that forced him to opt out of his junior season in 2021 to prepare for the draft. In 28 games, he had 93 tackles, four interceptions and three touchdowns.
Williams' electrifying touchdowns came in big moments and exciting fashion, blocking a punt for a score in his freshman season, a 'strip-six' where he ripped the ball away from a Wake Forest wide receiver for a walk-off score in overtime in 2019, and scoring off a lateraled interception in 2020 vs. Georgia Tech.
Cooney emerged as a stout replacement for Sterling Hofrichter – who he now plays in the same division as. In Cooney's lone season of work as the team's starting punter, he was named an All-American by Pro Football Focus and was a Third Team All-ACC selection. He had 74 punts this season for a 44.8 yard average. 25 of those punts went for 50+ yards, 24 were downed inside the 20 and only three were touchbacks.
Most of the Orange's other draft eligible players elected to utilize their additional season of eligibility due to the COVID-19 pandemic and return in 2021.
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