Tag: Damonic Williams

LSU reportedly in contact with Wake Forest cornerback transfer

The Tigers have made the defensive line the focus in the second portal window, but they may also be looking for back-end help.

LSU has made the defensive line a clear focus during the second transfer portal window and has been in the mix for several top targets including [autotag]Damonic Williams[/autotag], a former TCU defensive tackle who visited earlier this week.

But the Tigers also have needs elsewhere, particularly in the defensive backfield. It seems they may be trying to address that as they’re one of several schools that have contacted Wake Forest cornerback transfer [autotag]DaShawn Jones[/autotag], according to On3 (subscription required).

Jones is a redshirt sophomore from Baltimore who has appeared in 22 games for the Demon Deacons. After redshirting his first season in 2021, he became a starter down the stretch in 2022 and started nine of the 10 games he appeared in this past fall.

He finished the 2023 season with 37 tackles (1.5 for loss) and led the team with three interceptions.

The current projected starters at cornerback for LSU are [autotag]Zy Alexander[/autotag], who is coming off a season-ending injury in 2023, and [autotag]Ashton Stamps[/autotag], who emerged down the stretch of his true freshman season.

Also in the mix are sophomore [autotag]Javien Toviano[/autotag] and Ohio State transfers [autotag]JK Johnson[/autotag] and [autotag]Jyaire Brown[/autotag], the former of which was on the team last season but missed the entire season after suffering an injury in training camp.

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LSU hosting defensive tackle transfer portal target for visit Monday

The Tigers are hosting big-time transfer Damonic Williams to kick off the week.

With the spring transfer portal window now open, LSU has a clear need at defensive line, particularly along the interior.

It’s been no secret that coach [autotag]Brian Kelly[/autotag] and the staff are trying to add experienced defensive tackles to the roster, and one of the top options on the board is uncommitted TCU transfer [autotag]Damonic Williams[/autotag].

Williams has already taken visits to Oklahoma and Texas, and while he was slated to visit LSU and later Colorado this past weekend, he changed things up. Instead, he visited Missouri this past weekend and will arrive in Baton Rouge for a visit on Monday, per On3’s Shea Dixon.

Dixon reports that the Longhorns are the team to beat at the moment for Williams, but LSU will hope to sway him. Williams, who will be a junior in 2023, has started 27 straight games since arriving at TCU.

He was a Freshman All-American in 2022 and an honorable mention for both All-Big 12 and Big 12 Defensive Lineman of the Year in 2023. In two seasons with the Horned Frogs, he totaled 60 tackles (9.5 for loss), 4.5 sacks and a forced fumble.

LSU is in desperate need of depth at the position after three defensive tackles were drafted in 2024, leaving [autotag]Jacobian Guillory[/autotag] and [autotag]Jalen Lee[/autotag] as the only experienced players at the position.

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LSU defensive tackle transfer target commits to Auburn

LSU missed on a defensive tackle transfer prospect.

LSU came up short in landing one of its top transfer defensive tackle targets as [autotag]Philip Blidi[/autotag] committed to Auburn.

Blidi began his career at Texas Tech before transferring to Indiana. He hit the portal again after a year with the Hoosiers, this time garnering SEC interest.

According to On3’s Shea Dixon, Auburn made an impression on Blidi, and the buzz around his recruitment signaled Auburn following Blidi’s visit to the Plains.

Per PFF, Blidi was the 15th-best graded defensive tackle in the Big Ten last year while totaling 15 pressures and 11 run stops.

LSU needs to beef up its defensive tackle group and remains in pursuit of some of the portal’s top players, including DTs [autotag]Simeon Barrow Jr.[/autotag] and [autotag]Damonic Williams[/autotag].

Blidi bolsters an already solid Auburn transfer class that ranks 10th in the country, according to On3.

LSU remains well positioned with the seventh-ranked transfer class, but Blidi is a loss given the Tigers’ need at his position.

Brian Kelly said defensive tackle is the only position LSU is after in the spring portal window. [autotag]Jacobian Guillory[/autotag] and [autotag]Jalen Lee[/autotag] are the only two scholarship defensive tackles on the roster who saw time for LSU last year.

Despite the lack of numbers, Kelly feels good about where the position is headed with defensive line coach [autotag]Bo Davis[/autotag] leading the way.

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Pair of Sooners portal targets among The Athletic’s top 10 transfer options

Branson Hickman and Damonic Williams considered top 10 transfer options by Max Olson of The Athletic.

The Oklahoma Sooners spring game provides an opportunity for the OU Football program to put its best foot forward for a number of high school and transfer targets.

A trio of transfers options is set to make their way to Norman for this year’s spring game. [autotag]Damonic Williams[/autotag], [autotag]Branson Hickman[/autotag], and [autotag]Jermayne Lole[/autotag] are all slated to be in attendance this weekend.

Each of those guys would provide immediate competitive depth for the Oklahoma Sooners in 2024. The Athletic’s Max Olson believes Williams and Hickman are two of the best transfer portal options in the spring window.

2. Damonic Williams, DT

He started all 15 games up front at nose as a true freshman for a Horned Frogs team that played for a national title in 2022 and earned Freshman All-America honors, then started every game in his sophomore year to pick up honorable mention All-Big 12 recognition. He has two more seasons of eligibility and will have lots of Power 5 contenders competing for him. Oklahoma is expected to get his first visit followed by Texas, Colorado and LSU. – Max Olson, The Athletic

Damonic Williams would instantly upgrade Oklahoma’s defensive tackle options for the fall and beyond. Though they bring back Da’Jon Terry and there’s a lot of optimism about Jayden Jackson, the Sooners could use an experienced defensive tackle option to help fortify their ranks.

10. Branson Hickman, OL

Hickman was a three-year starter at center for SMU who earned second-team All-AAC honors last year and finished as the fourth-best starting center in the country by PFF’s grading. The 6-foot-3, 294-pound senior has two more seasons of eligibility and has taken official visits to TCU and Arkansas with Oklahoma up next.

If there’s an area that’s the biggest concern, it’s along the offensive line. And at center in particular. That’s not because Josh Bates isn’t capable. It’s because he lacks experience. And if there’s one thing we know about Brent Venables and his coaching philosophy, it’s that experience matters. And Branson Hickman has that in spades.

Hickman would provide the Sooners a day-one starter if Bates isn’t ready to roll in the fall. And like Williams, he’d have more than one year of eligibility, which would help the offensive line further coalesce.

The Sooners don’t have many holes on the roster that they need to fill, but up front, OU could stand to get better heading into the 2024 season.

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Simeon Barrow and Damonic Williams offer LSU chance to rebuild defensive line

A couple of big name transfers could allow LSU to rebuild its defensive tackle room.

The spring portal window is open and one position is in especially high demand — defensive tackle. LSU head coach Brian Kelly even went so far as to say this is the only position LSU is looking to add.

Just a few days in, the Tigers already have a couple of key visits lined up. LSU will be hosting [autotag]Simeon Barrow Jr.[/autotag] and [autotag]Damonic Williams[/autotag] in the near future with the hopes of landing a defensive tackle that can make an immediate impact.

Following the spring game, Kelly credited defensive line coach Bo Davis with bringing a different level of talent to campus. We’re seeing more evidence of that here even if there’s a way to go in both players’ recruitments.

As it stands, LSU has one proven player at defensive tackle in fifth-year DL [autotag]Jacobian Guillory[/autotag]. The Tigers need help there is this defense wants to take a step forward.

With Barrow and Williams, LSU has the chance to add an instant upgrade to its defensive tackle group. Relying on the portal is a tricky way to build a team, but LSU’s gotten lucky with some difference makers on the DL entering their names.

It will be tough for LSU to land both of these players, and fans shouldn’t expect that, but even one would go a long way toward shoring up the middle of this defense. Depth would remain a concern, but a starting two of Guillory and Barrow or Guillory and Williams will do the job.

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Former TCU defensive lineman to visit LSU

Damonic Williams would be a huge pickup for the Tigers if they were to land him.

[autotag]Brian Kelly[/autotag] has repeatedly stated that he is actively looking for more defensive linemen in the [autotag]Transfer Portal[/autotag]. The Tigers have been linked to Michigan State defensive lineman, [autotag]Simeon Barrow Jr.[/autotag], and now they have been linked to TCU defensive lineman [autotag]Damonic Williams[/autotag].

Williams was honorable mention All Big-12 and honorable mention for Defensive Lineman of the Year while at TCU last year. In two seasons at TCU, Williams has played in 27 games and has registered 60 tackles, 9.5 tackles for loss, and 4.5 sacks.

Williams is a guy who could bring a lot of experience to a defensive line room that has some talent but lacks the experience of playing in big games. Williams would be a huge pickup for the Tigers if they were to land him. He will be visiting LSU from April 30-May 1. He will also visit Oklahoma, Texas, Colorado, Missouri and Oregon.

LSU’s 2024 recruiting class is currently ranked as the No. 8 class in the country by 247Sports.

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TCU DL Damonic Williams heard from UCLA, not visiting Bruins just yet

Damonic Williams not on UCLA’s visit list.

The UCLA Bruins football program continues to reach out to players in the transfer portal. The latest one is TCU DL Damonic Williams, one of the bigger names in the portal.

The Bruins are one of a handful of teams to reach out to him, per Hayes Fawcett of On3. Here are some of the schools Williams heard from immediately after entering the transfer portal: Oklahoma, Colorado, Missouri, LSU, Georgia, Oregon, Texas, Auburn, UCLA, Texas A&M, SMU, and Kansas State.

However, the unfortunate news for now is that Williams does not have a visit lined up, per a report also from Fawcett. Williams has visits scheduled with all of Oklahoma, Oregon, Missouri, Texas, Colorado, and SMU.

Williams was a key piece on the defensive line for TCU, totaling 60 tackles and 4.5 sacks during his time with the Horned Frogs. Adding Williams would help, especially with the loss of Jay Toia on Thursday as he entered the portal. 

But for now, he isn’t set to visit UCLA, although a lot can change.

Report: Former TCU defensive lineman will visit Oregon

Former TCU defensive lineman Damonic Williams will visit Oregon, along with five other schools, sometime this spring as he looks for a new home.

The Oregon Ducks are looking to add some talent to the defensive line in this spring transfer portal window, it appears. According to On3’s Hayes Fawcett, former TCU defensive lineman Damonic Williams, who just entered the transfer portal, will visit Oregon sometime soon. The exact date hasn’t been determined.

In his two seasons as a Horned Frog, Williams dominated the Big XII with 60 tackles, 9.5 for loss, 4.5 sacks, and a forced fumble. As TCU has been mostly known for their offense, it’s no surprise Williams will look towards schools that are more balanced or defensively driven such as Oregon.

Coming out of Mission Hills, Calif., the 6-foot-2, 320-pounder was a three-star recruit in the 2022 class.

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TCU DT Damonic Williams to visit Texas

Williams is set to visit Texas after Oklahoma on April 23.

TCU defensive tackle Damonic Williams is set to visit six schools. Texas is one of them.

Williams has a visit set for four teams beginning with the Oklahoma Sooners on April 20-21. Oklahoma has emerged as the early favorite for Williams and the fact that the lineman is opting to visit Norman for the team’s spring game is telling.

Next is Texas, who some believe to be the next highest priority for Williams. He’s set to be in Austin on April 23 and 24.

Colorado and LSU are next on Williams’ schedule of visits. Colorado’s inclusion speaks to the continued respect for head coach Deion Sanders and his staff after a poor showing in 2023. Williams will visit there on April 26 and 27 before going to Baton Rouge on April 30.

LSU and Texas likely need defensive tackle more than Oklahoma, but could be starting the recruitment trailing. Even so, expect the Tigers to do everything they can to bring top defensive line talent to repair their broken defense from a year ago.

Missouri and Oregon round out the list with expected visits.

Texas will look to make an impression and get into the race when Williams visits on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Defensive tackle transfer Philip Blidi no longer visiting Oklahoma for the Spring game

The Oklahoma Sooners have a busy recruiting weekend ahead but one talented defensive lineman will no longer be there.

The Oklahoma Sooners have a massive weekend ahead with the spring game and the number of recruits set to be on campus. In addition to the high school prospects OU will be hosting, the Sooners will also host several transfer targets this weekend.

The list of transfers includes defensive tackles [autotag]Damonic Williams[/autotag], [autotag]Jermayne Lole[/autotag] and interior offensive lineman [autotag]Branson Hickman[/autotag]. Initially, that list included Indiana Hoosiers’ transfer, [autotag]Philip Blidi[/autotag]. He was the first of the group to announce he’d be at the spring game but has now announced he will not be in attendance.

Some people may look at that and be surprised. When Blidi first entered the portal, it looked like he was set to be a Sooner. But after a few visits and the list of Sooners targets growing, the rumblings of Blidi not ending up in the Crimson and Cream only grew louder.

Obviously, he would have brought a lot of experience, which would have helped a talented but young defensive tackle group. However, the Sooners still have two big-time transfers at that position set to come to campus. Williams is considered Oklahoma’s top defensive tackle target. As the Sooners are over the scholarship limit, they were going to have to be picky in their additions.

So, now the focus turns to Williams and Lole and a recent transfer portal entry in UCLA defensive tackle Jay Toia. But it remains to be seen how active the Sooners will be with Toia.

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