Darrent Williams RIP

Position: CB Height: 5-8 Weight: 188 Born: 09/27/1982 College: Oklahoma State NFL Experience: 2

Few defensive players have the ability to change the tide of the game the way Williams has during his Oklahoma State career. An outstanding pass thief with blazing speed and natural hands, Williams has also proven to be a dangerous threat as a punt returner. Williams was listed by the Dallas Morning News on the area top-100 list and was named all-district three times at O.D. Wyatt (Fort Worth, Texas) High School. He was the Class 7-4A Defensive Most Valuable Player as a senior in football and also was named an All-America by Track and Field News.

Denver Broncos cornerback Darrent Williams was shot and killed early in the morning of Jan. 1, 2007. He was 24 years old, born Sept. 27, 1982, in Fort Worth, Texas.

"We are so blessed to have been in his presence," Broncos Pro Bowl safety John Lynch said at the funeral held on a gloomy winter day in Williams' hometown. "He was something special."

"All of us are devastated by this tragedy," Broncos owner Pat Bowlen said in a statement. "To lose a young player, and more important, a great young man such as Darrent Williams, is incomprehensible. To lose him in such a senseless manner as this is beyond words."

Coach Mike Shanahan said the killing left him "speechless with sadness." "We all know that Darrent was an excellent player, but as a person, he was a first-class young man who brightened every room with his smile, attitude and personality," Shanahan said. "I cannot express how heartsick I feel at this loss."