Fresh off a 1997 national championship season at Michigan, offensive tackle Maurice Williams was selected by Jacksonville in the second round (43rd overall) of the 2001 NFL Draft. Placed right into the fire, the 6-foot-5 lineman claimed the starting right tackle spot in training camp and went on to start all 16 games as a rookie.

Williams became a bedrock piece of Jacksonville's offensive line throughout the 2000s, forming a crushing right side alongside interior guard Vince Manuwai. Though quietly effective away from national media headlines, Williams' mobility and strength were vital in opening lanes for tailback Fred Taylor during peak rushing seasons, including the 2006 team that piled up a franchise-record 2,541 rushing yards. Demonstrated by his willingness to shift to right guard or step in at left tackle when injuries struck the unit, his versatility kept him in the starting lineup across nine seasons in North Florida. Compounding bicep and knee injuries eventually hampered his durability toward the end of his run, but his near-decade of work on the line remains one of the longest tenures by a tackle in franchise history.

He started 100 of his 105 games.