FORT WORTH, Texas — Defensive lineman Michael Williams isn’t your typical highly recruited prospect. Off the field, he’s an excellent student that’s involved in several activities not usually associated with an athlete of his stature.
Williams, 6-2 1/2, 285 pounds, 4.95 seconds in the 40-yard dash, of Fort Worth All Saints Episcopal has more than 40 scholarship offers and is committed to Stanford. He has a 3.6 grade point average and takes the drama class offered at the school.
“He’s a chess champion,” All Saints Coach Aaron Beck said. “He’s part of the chess team here. He’s won a couple of chess tournaments. He’s been playing chess since a very early age.”
He’s one who rarely mentions a goal of playing in the NFL, but instead is focused on getting an education that will help him be successful after football.
“You can’t script a better kid because academically, it means a lot to him," Beck said. "He busts his butt in the classroom.”
Williams is rated the No. 20 defensive tackle and No. 185 overall prospect in the nation by ESPN for a reason.
“The way he trains in the weight room,” Williams said. “There’s not a lot of high school kids benching over 400 pounds. His fast twitch nature coming off of the defensive line and he’s 17 years old, so I don’t know what the ceiling is for the guy.”
All Saints has an average of about 10 to 15 athletes a year that go on to sign college scholarships.
“He knows what the recruiting process looks like,” Beck said of Williams.
Beck is no stranger to Arkansas football. He played at Hurst High School and was teammates with former Razorback defensive lineman Ron Faurot, who was a first round draft pick of the New York Jets in the 1984 NFL Draft.
Williams plans to take an official visit to Arkansas, Stanford, Ohio State and Texas.
“I know he thinks highly of the Arkansas defensive line coach,” Beck said.
Beck said Williams has his head on straight.
“His goal is to play in a top-notch college program and get a great education so he’s using his athleticism in the right way,” Beck said. “Coming out of a college prep school he’s well suited and he’s not a kid a coach will have to chase to go to class or worry about where he is on a Friday or Saturday night.”
Williams, who has attended All Saints since the 7th grade, has an infectious personality and likes to have fun until he sets foot on the field.
“He is a practical joker kind of guy,” Beck said. “He likes that part. He keeps it lite until it’s game time and he flips a switch and he’s a very aggressive player.”