Texas Longhorns wide receiver [autotag]Derek Williams Jr.[/autotag] heads into his sophomore season on the Forty Acres in 2024. One of the top safeties in the 2023 recruiting class saw the field plenty in his true freshman season. Overall, Williams appeared in 13 games for the Longhorns.
According to Pro Football Focus, Williams had the No. 7 best run defense grade, 77.8. That number was the highest among safeties on the team and he will be relied upon again in 2024 under the tutelage of defensive coordinator Pete Kwiatkowski.
Preseason Derek Williams Jr. Profile
Hometown: New Iberia, Louisiana
Ht: 6-2
Wt: 193
247Sports Composite Ranking:
Four-Star | No. 4 Safety | No. 48 Nationally (2023 Class)
Class in 2024: Sophomore
Career Stats
| Year | Games | Tackles | Solo | TFLs | PBUs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 13 | 42 | 24 | 2.0 | 2 |
Depth Chart Overview
We project that Derek Williams Jr. will be the starting safety opposite of Andrew Mukuba, who transferred from Clemson. He leads a talented room filled with young talent. Xavier Filsaime and Jordon Johnson-Rubell should see some snaps in rotation with Williams, however, the sophomore should get the bulk of the snaps at safety.