LaQuan Williams is an American football

American football

American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...

 wide receiver

Wide receiver

A wide receiver is an offensive position in American and Canadian football, and is the key player in most of the passing plays. Only players in the backfield or the ends on the line are eligible to catch a forward pass. The two players who begin play at the ends of the offensive line are eligible...

 for the Baltimore Ravens

Baltimore Ravens

The Baltimore Ravens are a professional football franchise based in Baltimore, Maryland.The Baltimore Ravens are officially a quasi-expansion franchise, having originated in 1995 with the Cleveland Browns relocation controversy after Art Modell, then owner of the Cleveland Browns, announced his...

 of the National Football League

National Football League

The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...

. He played college football

College football

College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...

 at the University of Maryland

University of Maryland, College Park

The University of Maryland, College Park is a top-ranked public research university located in the city of College Park in Prince George's County, Maryland, just outside Washington, D.C...

.

Early life

Williams was born on June 27, 1988 in Baltimore, Maryland. He attended the Baltimore Polytechnic Institute

Baltimore Polytechnic Institute

Baltimore Polytechnic Institute is a US public high school founded in 1883. Though established as an all-male trade school,it now is a institution that emphasizes mathematics, the sciences, and engineering. It is located on a tract of land in North Baltimore at Falls Road and Cold Spring Lane,...

 where he played on the football team as a quarterback

Quarterback

Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...

 and safety and on the basketball team as a shooting guard

Shooting guard

The shooting guard , also known as the two or off guard, is one of five traditional positions on a basketball team. Players of the position are often shorter, leaner, and quicker than forwards. A shooting guard's main objective is to score points for his team...

. In football, Williams won three varsity letters and started for two seasons. He caught 10 interception

Interception (football)

An interception, intercept or pick is a move in many forms of football, including Canadian and American football, as well as rugby league, rugby union, Australian rules football and Gaelic football, which involves a pass, either by foot or hand, being caught by an opposition player, who usually...

s each in both his junior and senior seasons. In his final year, he gained 804 rushing yards, six rushing touchdown

Touchdown

A touchdown is a means of scoring in American and Canadian football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone.-Description:...

s, 630 passing yards, seven passing touchdowns, and returned two punts and a kickoff

Kickoff (American football)

A kickoff is a method of starting a drive in American football and Canadian football. Typically, a kickoff consists of one team – the "kicking team" – kicking the ball to the opposing team – the "receiving team"...

 for touchdowns. The Baltimore Sun

The Baltimore Sun

The Baltimore Sun is the U.S. state of Maryland’s largest general circulation daily newspaper and provides coverage of local and regional news, events, issues, people, and industries....

named him a second-team All-City player as a junior and a first-team All-City defensive back as a senior. In basketball, Williams was a four-year letterwinner and averaged over 20.0 points per game. Williams was recruited by Maryland

Maryland Terrapins football

The Maryland Terrapins football team represents the University of Maryland in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Bowl Subdivision competition. The Terrapins compete within the Atlantic Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference...

, Virginia

Virginia Cavaliers football

Virginia Cavaliers football is a college football program that competes in the NCAA Division I-FBS and the Coastal Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference...

, Virginia Tech

Virginia Tech Hokies football

The Virginia Tech Hokies football team is a college football program that competes in NCAA Division I-FBS, in the Coastal Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference. They have more wins in team history than any other program in the ACC. Their home games are played at Lane Stadium which seats over...

, and James Madison

James Madison Dukes football

The James Madison Dukes football team, founded in 1972, plays at Bridgeforth Stadium. Originally called JMU Stadium, it was renamed for William E. Bridgeforth in 1990. The JMU football team was rarely the centerpiece of JMU sports until the hiring of Mickey Matthews in 1999...

.

College career

Williams attended the University of Maryland

University of Maryland, College Park

The University of Maryland, College Park is a top-ranked public research university located in the city of College Park in Prince George's County, Maryland, just outside Washington, D.C...

, where he majored in American studies. He sat out his freshman season as a redshirt. During the 2007 season

2007 Maryland Terrapins football team

The 2007 Maryland Terrapins football team represented the University of Maryland in the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Bowl Subdivision college football season. It was the Terrapins' 55th season as a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference and its third within the...

, he split time at the Z-receiver position with Isaiah Williams

Isaiah Williams

Isaiah Williams is an American football wide receiver for the Seattle Seahawks. He played college football for the Maryland Terrapins at the University of Maryland.-Early years:...

. Against No. 10 Rutgers

2007 Rutgers Scarlet Knights football team

For the first time in the history of Rutgers football, the team entered a season ranked - 16th in both the Associated Press and Coaches polls. The Scarlet Knights finished the season with an 8-5 record that included a 52-30 victory over the Ball State Cardinals in the 2008 International Bowl...

, backup quarterback Chris Turner

Chris Turner (American football)

Chris Turner is an American football quarterback. He played quarterback for the Maryland Terrapins at the University of Maryland from 2007 to 2009...

 connected with Williams on two passes for 66 yards. Williams caught a spectacular diving reception for 27 yards that set up a score by running back Keon Lattimore

Keon Lattimore

Keon Lattimore is an American football running back who is currently an NFL free agent and also played for the Trenton Steel in the SIFL. He was signed by the Dallas Cowboys as an undrafted free agent in 2008. He played college football at Maryland.Lattimore has also been a member of the...

 for a 34–24 victory. After the game against No. 8 Boston College, Williams suffered a season ending MCL

Medial collateral ligament

The medial collateral ligament of the knee is one of the four major ligaments of the knee. It is on the medial side of the knee joint in humans and other primates. It is also known as the tibial collateral ligament, or abbreviated as the MCL.- Structure :It is a broad, flat, membranous band,...

 sprain during practice. The Sporting News

The Sporting News

Sporting News is an American-based sports magazine. It was established in 1886, and it became the dominant American publication covering baseball — so much so that it acquired the nickname "The Bible of Baseball"...

named him to its ACC All-Freshman Team.

During the 2008 season

2008 Maryland Terrapins football team

The 2008 Maryland Terrapins football team represented the University of Maryland in the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Bowl Subdivision college football season...

, Williams was limited to action in three games as a reserve because of a foot injury. He was declared academically ineligible in early February 2009, but regained eligibility in time for spring practice and the 2009 season

2009 Maryland Terrapins football team

The 2009 Maryland Terrapins football team represented the University of Maryland during its 57th season in the Atlantic Coast Conference. The Terrapins played in the Atlantic Division of the conference, and competed against all five divisional opponents, two Coastal Division opponents on a...

. He played in all 12 games including one as a starter. Against Rutgers

2009 Rutgers Scarlet Knights football team

The 2009 Rutgers Scarlet Knights football team represented Rutgers University in the 2009 college football season. Their head coach was Greg Schiano and they played their home games at Rutgers Stadium in Piscataway, New Jersey. The Scarlet Knights finished the season 9–4, 3–4 in Big East play and...

, Williams caught a 24-yard touchdown pass.

Before the 2010 season

2010 Maryland Terrapins football team

The 2010 Maryland Terrapins football team represented the University of Maryland in the 2010 NCAA Division I FBS football season. It was the Terrapins' 58th season as a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference and its sixth within the framework of the ACC Atlantic Division...

, Williams beat out teammate Ronnie Tyler

Ronnie Tyler

Ronnie Tyler is an American college football player. He is a wide receiver for the Maryland Terrapins of the University of Maryland.-Early years:...

 for the starting slot receiver position. He saw action in all 13 games, including three starts. Williams had twelve tackles on special teams and at the end of the season earned the special teams captain award. Against Wake Forest

2010 Wake Forest Demon Deacons football team

The 2010 Wake Forest Demon Deacons football team represented Wake Forest University during the 2010 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The team was coached by Jim Grobe, who was coaching his tenth season at the school, and played its home games at BB&T Field. Wake Forest competes in the...

, Williams blocked a punt

Punt (football)

In some codes of football, a punt is a play in which a player drops the ball and kicks it before it touches the ground. A punt is in contrast to a drop kick, in which the ball touches the ground before being kicked....

.

Baltimore Ravens

The Baltimore Ravens

Baltimore Ravens

The Baltimore Ravens are a professional football franchise based in Baltimore, Maryland.The Baltimore Ravens are officially a quasi-expansion franchise, having originated in 1995 with the Cleveland Browns relocation controversy after Art Modell, then owner of the Cleveland Browns, announced his...

 signed Williams as an undrafted free agent in 2011. In the preseason game against the Philadelphia Eagles

Philadelphia Eagles

The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...

, he caught three catches for 46 yards and was the team's second leading receiver behind tight end Dennis Pitta

Dennis Pitta

-Baltimore Ravens:Pitta was selected by the Baltimore Ravens in the fourth round of the 2010 NFL Draft. He was signed to a three-year contract on June 21, 2010.-External links:**...

.