Upon the final season of many of our favorite Ducks, it’s easy to forget that the future is bright with potential. With a multitude of stellar recruits and redshirt freshmen, the 2020 football season which I’m sure we are all praying will happen should be an exciting one indeed.
Kristian Williams is a 6-3, 290-pound defensive tackle from Memphis, Tennessee. He is the Ducks first player from Memphis since Dillon Mitchell who left Oregon for the NFL draft in 2019. Despite playing an entirely different position Williams is hoping to have a similar impact to the Ducks that Mitchell had.
Williams played in three games during the 2019 season, but he has not had the opportunity to demonstrate what he is capable of. The four star recruit was initially committed to Minnesota, but after visiting Eugene for a weekend, the recruit de-committed from the Gophers, and two days later announced that he was taking his talents to Oregon. Williams had offers from Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Louisville, LSU, Memphis, Minnesota, Missouri, Ole Miss, Tennessee, Tulane, UCF and Virginia. (Four SEC teams)
Williams committed late after de-committing from Minnesota in early February of 2019
Williams came out of high school ranked as the No. 252 overall prospect in the nation. He was considered to be the 20th best defensive tackle in the nation, as well as the No. 6 prospect from the state of Tennessee.
Rivals.com ranked Williams as a 3-star prospect coming out of high school, and he finished his senior season by leading Southwind High School to the second round of the state’s playoffs.
Despite already having secured a ridiculously strong recruiting class in 2019, Williams really glued the new players together, balancing out a mix of offensive and defensive players. Williams has a defining aggression that makes him a force on the field. That mentality is something that can’t be coached, and really adds to his resume as a player.
Coming with excellent measurables including a 5.07 40 yard dash time, Williams is undoubtedly a force to be reckoned with on the field. Despite his size, Williams demonstrates a surprising quickness on his feet, and that galvanizing agility will be a significant leg up on his opponents in the Fall.
With nose tackle Jordon Scott leaving after this season, Williams is one of the multiple redshirt freshmen to really have a fighting chance for the starting position. After winning developmental player of the year with teammate and defensive tackle Brandon Dorlus, his odds are looking better than ever. Williams is certain to bring an element of depth to an already extraordinary talented recruiting class.
Williams while visiting the University in 2019
Williams announced that the primary reason for his sudden decision to switch to Oregon was based around the opportunities that were being provided here. In an interview with Statesman Journal, Williams said:
“I just felt like it was the best place for me, my family and there are many opportunities when it comes to internships. Football and education are always going to be there for and there was just more a vibe when I got there on campus. It felt like home to me”.
The 2020 college football season is going to be an exciting one. The combination of veteran talent, new recruits, and blooming developmental players will create a fantastic dynamic on the field, full of fresh names, and a fresh team.
After a year of facing off against Oregon’s veteran offensive line on a daily basis, Kristian Williams is ready to take the field to challenge as a starter in the fall, and secure his legacy as a Duck forever.
Zeke Lerner-Wood
Oakland, CA
Top photo from Twitter
Garrett Sharp-Craig, the FishDuck.com Volunteer Editor for this article is a current student at the University of Oregon and is from San Francisco, California.
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Zeke Lerner-Wood is a freshman at the University of Oregon from Alameda, California. Growing up in the Bay, Zeke follows the A’s, Raiders, and Warriors and since starting classes at the University, Zeke has been introduced to the world of NCAA football and has become an avid fan.