Deontai

Williams

The Nebraska defense won’t lack for experience in 2021, as Williams (6'1/205) is the most recent member of the unit to announce that he will be back. The redshirt junior started each of the Cornhuskers’ eight games in 2020, earning honorable mention all-Big Ten honors. Williams accounted for 51 total tackles (37 solo, 4.0 for loss), 1.0 sacks, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery and four pass breakups. Getting him back in the fold certainly qualifies as good news for HC Scott Frost’s program.

Williams (6'1/205) suffered the injury during Nebraska’s season opener against South Alabama, and he did not travel with the team to this past Saturday’s game at Colorado. This is the second major injury that the redshirt junior has suffered since joining the Nebraska program as a junior college transfer in 2018, as he missed all of last season due to a knee injury. With Williams sidelined, Eric Lee and Marvel Dismuke started at the safety spots vs. Colorado with Eli Sullivan and Cam Taylor-Britt also receiving reps. Taylor-Britt and Dismuke are listed as the starters on this week’s depth chart.

Williams (6'0/180) traveled a circuitous route to Lincoln. An ESPN 300 prospect for the Class of 2015, Williams flipped from Florida to Ohio on national signing day because he didn’t meet the SEC’s academic requirements. He wasn’t able to qualify there, either, and dropped to the JUCO ranks. Williams is the No. 30 JUCO prospect overall, according to the 247 Sports Composite. Per Williams, Cornhuskers coaches have told him he could earn a spot at safety or corner. “He is a complete player with scheme flexibility,” according to ESPN. “He is capable of being physical versus the run, matching the athletic receiver man-to-man, executing tight zone technique and blitzing inside and off the edge.”