A rare feat in Texas athletics
The University of Texas has a storied history of athletic excellence, but the list of athletes who have played both baseball and football is short.
Two of the most notable are Bobby Layne, who starred at quarterback and threw two no-hitters as a pitcher, and James Street, who led Texas to a national title in football and pitched the only perfect game in program history. Remember Shea Morenz? That's his picture up there. He was the last player to attempt both in 1993, until Jonah Williams.
Meet Jonah Williams—Texas' next two-sport hope
Williams is a true freshman out of Galveston Ball High School, where he excelled in football and baseball. He also played basketball and ran track—because, of course, he did. Williams is a top-tier football recruit. A five-star prospect and the No. 1-ranked safety in the country, he possesses elite range, physicality, and playmaking instincts.
He's expected to make an immediate impact for Steve Sarkisian this upcoming season. On the diamond, he showed the same athleticism in the outfield, making him a dangerous defensive back. Oh, and he also clocked 94 mph on the mound as a lefty. He has all the physical tools to excel in both sports. But, how realistic is it that he reaches his full potential in both?
Kyler Murray is the recent benchmark
Few players in recent history have been significant contributors in both baseball and football. Jameis Winston logged innings on the mound at FSU. Jeff Samardzija starred at receiver for Notre Dame before choosing baseball. Other big names have dabbled (Russell Wilson, Patrick Mahomes). But the closest modern example is Kyler Murray.
At Oklahoma, he won the Heisman in 2018 and hit .296 with 10 home runs and 47 RBIs as a starting outfielder. He wasn't just dabbling—he was genuinely great at both. He was drafted ninth (NINTH!) overall by the A's in 2018, and still walked away to pursue football exclusively.
Eventually, Jonah Williams will have to choose
Jonah Williams is loaded with raw talent, but the reality is stark: very few athletes can sustain two Division I sports full-time. The grind is too intense.
The schedules collide. Development in one inevitably comes at the expense of the other. And while he is just getting started, the question looms: If he has professional aspirations—and he should—which one wins out? History tells us that eventually, he will have to choose.
All signs point to football—for now. Williams already has a pro-ready frame at 17 years old, and the coaching staff should expect him to come in and make an impact immediately. Physically, mentally, and from a ceiling standpoint, football seems like the path.
But don’t let that fool you into thinking baseball is some side gig. It’s not. Williams comes from a baseball family. His brother, Nick, was a second-round draft pick by the Rangers in 2012, and he has been around the game his entire life.
Toss in the fact he can throw mid-90s and has flashed the tools in the outfield like he has, you don’t just walk away from that easily. Baseball isn’t a novelty act. It’s a real choice—one that could define his athletic future.
Let him play both—for now
The decision will come eventually, but not yet. Jonah Williams is only 17 years old. That's crazy. He’s an early-enrollee, true freshman in college, not anywhere near a finished product. The pressure to specialize will come soon enough, but why rush it? There is a runway to let him chase both dreams.
The prevailing wisdom in modern athletics is to pick a sport and pour everything into it. But that mindset misses what makes sports fun and special. Coaches across all sports love multi-sport athletes. They talk about the value of cross-training—how instincts sharpen, mental toughness builds, and overall athleticism improves when kids don’t specialize too early.
And when you talk to athletes themselves, they always seem to say the same thing: playing multiple sports made them better at the sport they ultimately chose. It made them better competitors. It gave them perspective and appreciation for what it means to be a great teammate—a star in one sport might be a role player in another.
So yeah, eventually, Jonah Williams will have to make a choice. Whether that’s at some point in his college career or after it, when it comes time to declare for the draft. But he should get a real shot at doing both, without pressure, and without one coaching staff pushing him to one over the other.
Jonah Williams is a rare talent—enjoy the ride
Jonah Williams might not become the next Bo Jackson, Deion Sanders, or even Kyler Murray. But that’s not the point. He shouldn’t be cast into someone else’s shadow—he’s forging his own legacy. He is the first Longhorn to attempt both baseball and football in over three decades, and he’s doing it at one of the most competitive programs in the country. That alone makes him worth watching.
The choice may come in a year. Maybe it comes later. But until then, let’s not rush it. Let’s appreciate what Jonah Williams is trying to do—and enjoy the ride while it lasts.