5-Star 'freak safety' Jonah Williams commits to Texas

Texas football is really heating up on the recruiting trail in the 2025 class late this summer, landing two commitments from highly touted blue-chip prospects in as many days to start this weekend. On Aug. 24, Texas landed a massive commitment from the No. 1 safety recruit in the nation in the 2025 class in the 247Sports Composite and On3 Industry Ranking, Galveston (TX) Ball five-star Jonah Williams.

No. 1 2025 S/ATH recruit Jonah Williams commits to Texas football over Texas A&M and LSU

This comes after the Longhorns and head coach Steve Sarkisian landed a pledge from the "big human" and four-star Loganville (GA) Grayson offensive tackle Nick Brooks on Aug. 23. Texas has a chance to jump into the top 10 of the national class rankings for 2025 in the major recruiting services if it adds to this big haul on the trail in late August with a commitment from five-star Jacksonville (FL) Mandarin wide receiver Jaime Ffrench on Aug. 30 during his announcement.

Williams committed to Texas over the Texas A&M Aggies, LSU Tigers, Oregon Ducks, and USC Trojans on Saturday evening. At one point in time in this recruitment, all of Williams' finalists schools (and you can even add the Oklahoma Sooners to that mix) were getting the spotlight as the trending pick for the elite safety recruit from Southeast Texas.

But the Longhorns built momentum in this recruitment after Williams had a successful unofficial visit to Austin during the late July pool party/BBQ bash last month. Texas continued to be the trendy pick entering Williams' decision date this weekend on Aug. 24.

LSU put up a big fight for Williams in this recruitment during the final stages on the week of his announcement. But the combination of baseball and football that Texas offers after having made the CFP last season and the rejuvenation of the baseball program under new head coaching hire Jim Schlossnagle really appealed to Williams.

Hiring Schloss away from the Aggies earlier this summer also helped to draw down Williams' interest in Texas A&M in his recruitment and give more favor back to the Longhorns.

While Texas didn't get Williams on campus during his official visit circuit this summer, having him in Austin for the pool party bash in late July was huge for the Longhorns coaching staff to win his commitment.

Sarkisian and safeties coach Blake Gideon for the Longhorns deserve a lot of credit for sticking with it with the constant communication in Williams' recruitment. Texas never waivered, and their patience and long-term strategic approach to the recruiting process with Williams paid major dividends when it was all said and done late this summer.

"Just Coach Sark, he's a great coach. Coach Gideon, I really like him. I feel like he could really develop me going onto the next level."

Williams told Horns247 that he liked the development pitch and the relationships he had with Sarkisian and Coach Gideon in his recruitment.

Texas getting an elite multi-sport athlete in the No. 1 S/ATH Williams in the 2025 cycle

The 6-foot-3 and 205-pound "freak athlete" Williams looks like a future early-round draft pick, regardless of whether he ultimately chooses to play baseball in the MLB or go the NFL route with playing football. He shows off his insane athleticism and versatility across multiple sports he plays in baseball and football.

Williams throws a fastball in the range of the mid-90s in MPH. He also has the build and strength of a modern speedy linebacker who also has the range to play safety in college and in the future in the NFL down the line.

He plays center field in baseball and is an explosive athlete on the wing in basketball, which shows how much athleticism and ranginess he brings to the defensive backfield or playing in the box on the gridiron on defense.

Williams is a extremely effective at covering wide ranges of the football field in the secondary or playing in the box. He's got quick hips and verified top-end speed from combine testing during his recruitment for the last few years that shows he is a natural at dropping back into pass coverage.

You can utilize Williams in so many different ways on defense. I like to think of Williams as a hybrid between a safety, nickel, and a coverage linebacker who can be a force to be reckoned with against a multitude of different offensive looks and game situations on defense.

Areas of improvement

The only two things I can realistically say about Williams regarding where he needs to improve at the next level have to do with him adding the necessary weight to his frame and just sticking with football over baseball.

It's easier said than done, though, to say that football is the right choice for Williams. Texas has done well to get this far to get Williams committed to them in the 2025 class this summer. But the battle is not over as they still have to convince him to play football short and long-term for his career in sports professionally.

Projection and fit at Texas

Getting Williams' commitment is a serious momentum-builder for the Longhorns on the trail for the 2025 class. Not only is he a fantastic addition to the secondary class for 2025 as an immediate impact guy for this position group, but he could also help to draw more talent into Texas on the trail entering the fall.

Position-wise, I think the most natural fit for Williams would be at field safety. Texas could utilize his ability to put a micro-focus on the gridiron with insane sideline-to-sideline range to great use pretty much right away in the defensive backfield.

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