Who is Trayveon Williams? Running back and kick returner enters sixth season in Cincinnati

Just before the start of NFL free agency, the Cincinnati Bengals announced that they re-signed running back Trayveon Williams to a one-year contract through the 2024 season, which would be Williams' sixth with the team.

The former sixth-round pick, who turned 26 last October, played in all 17 games for the Bengals last season, finishing with 15 carries for 69 rushing yards, and seven catches for 10 receiving yards.

With the Bengals moving on from Joe Mixon, Williams could compete for carries next season with former Indianapolis Colts running back Zack Moss, Chase Brown and Chris Evans.

Williams suggested last April that he was ready to assume the role Samaje Perine had before leaving for the Denver Broncos in free agency.

Here are five things to know about Williams:

Williams was the Bengals' sixth-round pick (182nd overall) in 2019.

The Bengals' 2019 draft class included Jonah Williams, Drew Sample, Germaine Pratt, Ryan Finley, Renell Wren, Michael Jordan, Trayveon Williams, Deshaun Davis, Rodney Anderson and Jordan Brown.

Jonah Williams, Sample, Pratt and Trayveon Williams remain with the Bengals. Wren is on the Pittsburgh Steelers' roster. Jordan was released Tuesday by the Carolina Panthers.

Another notable sixth-round pick in 2019? Indianapolis Colts quarterback Gardner Minshew II was selected by the Jacksonville Jaguars four picks before Trayveon went to the Bengals.

At 5-foot-8, Williams, born and raised in Houston, Texas, is the shortest player on the Bengals' roster. Orlando Brown Jr., listed as 6-foot-8, is a foot taller than Williams.

Williams took over as the Bengals' primary kick returner in Week 10 of the 2022 season.

Evans returned kicks for Cincinnati in 2022 until he suffered a right knee (PCL) injury against Carolina.

When Williams replaced Evans, Williams had never returned a kickoff or punt in the NFL. Williams had five kick returns for 82 yards (16.4 average) as a freshman at Texas A&M, and six returns for 183 yards (30.5 average) as a sophomore for the Aggies.

In 2022, Williams returned 20 kickoffs for 449 yards (22.5 average) in 10 games, including the playoffs. In 2023, he returned 12 kickoffs for 290 yards (24.2 average) in 17 games.

In his first four NFL seasons, Williams had 47 carries for 238 yards, along with eight catches for 64 yards. He hasn't scored a touchdown as a professional.

Williams led the Southeastern Conference in rushing yards (1,760) and rushing touchdowns (18) in 13 games as a junior in 2018.

Williams broke Darren Lewis' single-season rushing record at Texas A&M. He added 278 receiving yards on 27 catches with a receiving touchdown, boosting his yardage total to 2,038 and his TD total to 19. He was first-team all-SEC and second-team All-American.

Williams' rushing average as a freshman, 6.8 yards per carry, was the best of his three seasons in College Station. Williams had 1,057 yards on the ground in 2016, his first season at A&M.

Williams and Joe Burrow starred in a legendary LSU-Texas A&M game in 2018, won 74-72 by the Aggies.

Burrow's LSU team was ranked No. 8 when it met Williams and No. 25 Texas A&M at Kyle Field on Nov. 24.

After seven overtimes, the Aggies prevailed.

Burrow was 25-for-38 with 270 passing yards and three touchdowns, without an interception. He added 100 rushing yards on 29 carries, with three TDs on the ground.

Williams had 198 rushing yards on 35 carries with two TDs.

Williams also impressed in his final game for the Aggies.

Williams and Texas A&M took on Finley (later drafted two rounds ahead of him by the Bengals) and North Carolina State in the Gator Bowl on Dec. 31, 2018.

Williams rushed for a Gator Bowl-record 236 yards on 19 carries (12.4 average) with three touchdowns, leading the Aggies to a 52-13 rout of the Wolfpack in Jacksonville.

Four days later, Williams announced he would forgo his final year of eligibility and enter the 2019 draft.

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This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Who is Trayveon Williams? RB, returner enters 6th season in Cincinnati