Kevin Williams ( defensive tackle ) Kevin Williams ( born August 16 , 1980 ) is an American football defensive tackle for the Minnesota Vikings of the National Football League ( NFL ) . After playing college football for Oklahoma State University , he was selected by the Vikings with the ninth pick of the first round in the 2003 NFL Draft . High school career . He played tight end and defensive line at Fordyce High School . He had 9 reception s and 2 TDs as a senior and posted 60 tackles , 20 tackles for loss , 5 sacks , a fumble recovery for a TD and an interception returned for a touchdown . Williams was also an All - State selection in basketball . College career . Williams attended Oklahoma State University , where he was a mainstay on the Oklahoma State Cowboys football team ' s defensive front , starting 42 games during his career . He recorded 160 tackles , 38 tackles for loss , and 18 . 5 sacks during his career and was an integral part of a team that improved from 3 - 8 with 1 win in the conference in 2000 to an 8 - 5 overall record with a 5 - 3 conference mark in 2002 . The Cowboys ' Houston Bowl appearance in 2002 was only the second time in 14 years that OSU made it to a bowl game . Professional career . 2003 NFL Draft . After an outstanding performance during the Senior Bowl , Williams went from a marginal first round choice to a possible top 12 pick for the 2003 NFL Draft in most scouts ' estimation . However , he was considered a “ classic one - year wonder ” and compared to Gerard Warren by Stewart Mandel of " Sports Illustrated " . Others considered Williams " a more natural end " and suggested a move to the edge in the NFL . The Vikings were actually slotted as the 7th team for the 1st round of the draft , but when their 15 minutes on the clock expired , two other teams rushed in and made selections ( Jacksonville took Byron Leftwich and Carolina selected Jordan Gross ) before Minnesota finally got to choose Williams . Minnesota Vikings . In 2003 , Williams was one of the top impact rookie defenders in team history and led the Vikings with 10 . 5 sacks , the 2nd - most sacks by a Vikings rookie behind Keith Millard ' s 11 . 0 in 1985 . He was a consensus All - Rookie team honoree having started opening 12 games of the season at left defensive end and moved inside to start at nose tackle for the final 4 games . He set the Vikings rookie record with 3 . 0 sacks in season finale at Arizona on December 28 . Williams was named NFC Defensive Rookie of the Month when he had 18 tackles , 5 . 0 sacks , a forced fumble and an interception in the 4 - game stretch and joined Carl Eller ( 1964 ) and Al Noga ( 1988 ) as the only rookie defensive ends in team history to start the season opener when he debuted in the lineup at Green Bay September 7 and also joined defensive end Lance Johnstone as players with 10 . 0 + sacks , the first time in Vikings history since 1993 when Chris Doleman and John Randle accomplished the feat . Williams compiled 11 . 5 sacks in 2004 , 4 in 2005 , and 5 in 2006 . On December 23 , 2006 , the Minnesota Vikings signed him to a new 7 - year contract extension that could reach $ 50 million with incentives , the contract also included $ 16 million in guaranteed money . In 2007 , during the NFL Kickoff game , Williams intercepted Atlanta Falcons quarterback Joey Harrington and ran 54 yards for a touchdown in the 1st quarter . This was the Vikings ' first TD for the 2007 season . In week 14 of the same season , Williams intercepted San Francisco 49ers quarterback Trent Dilfer and returned the pick for a touchdown in the 1st quarter . It was the first touchdown of the game and William ' s second interception touchdown of the season . On December 2 , 2008 , he received a four - game suspension for use of a diuretic , which can be used a masking agent for steroid use . It is believed that the diuretic was found in a weight - loss supplement that he had been taking . His agent , Angelo Wright has indicated that he will file a motion in federal court to appeal the suspension . Williams , along with Pat Williams , appealed the suspension to a Minnesota federal court ; the judge ruled against the NFL ' s decision and allowed all suspended players , including Williams , to play until a further review of the case . The case review has been ongoing through the entire 2009 and 2010 NFL seasons , but in 2011 , he was suspended for only 2 games under the rules of the new Collective Bargaining Agreement . In his nine - year NFL career , all with Minnesota , Williams has started every game at defensive tackle . Personal . Williams married in June 2005 to Tasha , who ended her collegiate basketball career in 2006 as a senior at Louisiana Tech and helped the Lady Techsters to the NCAA Tournament , earning all - conference honors . Kevin majored in general studies and earned his degree in the spring of 2003 from Oklahoma State .