Texas S Derek Williams Jr. to enter the NCAA transfer portal

After three seasons on the Forty Acres, Texas Longhorns redshirt sophomore safety Derek Williams Jr. will enter the NCAA transfer window when the window opens in January.

Williams prepares to depart the Texas program as head coach Steve Sarkisian holds exit meetings with players following the conclusion of the regular season.

The 6’2, 201-pounder was a significant recruiting coup for former secondary coaches Terry Joseph and Blake Gideon when Williams committed to the Longhorns following an official visit in June 2022, choosing Texas over 16 other offers, including Alabama, Arkansas, Auburn, Florida, Florida State, LSU, Miami, Michigan, Notre Dame, Oklahoma, and Texas A&M. And despite concerns about keeping Williams committed throughout the recruiting process, he signed with the Horns without drama.

A consensus five-star prospect when he committed to Texas, Williams finished the cycle as a consensus four-star prospect ranked as the No. 50 player nationally and the No. 4 safety, according to the 247Sports Composite rankings.

In nearly 400 snaps as a true freshman, Williams showed promise, recording 42 tackles (24 solo), two tackles for loss, and two pass breakups, including a seven-tackle performance in the win over BYU. Williams also played on three special teams units, making four tackles.

The New Iberia (La.) Westgate product suffered a significant setback during his sophomore season when he suffered a season-ending knee injury against Oklahoma, ending a strong start that included five tackles (three solo) and his first career interception in the road win over Michigan and four solo tackles and a forced fumble before suffering the injury in the Cotton Bowl.

When Williams returned this season, he struggled to break back into the rotation after his injury allowed the ascension of classmate Jelani McDonald, also losing playing time to redshirt freshman Xavier Filsaime.

Williams was a core special teams player on four different units, but played sparingly on defense, recording a season-high 58 snaps in the win over Vanderbilt due to injuries at the position, finishing the season with 23 tackles.

With two seasons of eligibility remaining, Williams projects as a coveted player in the portal.