Speed is the name of the game in the SEC, and the University of Arkansas just got faster at defensive end with the signing of Zach Williams from Joe T. Robinson.
Williams, 6-4, 230 pounds, 4.57 seconds in the 40-yard dash, inked with the Hogs on Wednesday, the first day of the early signing period. He had scholarship offers from Alabama, Texas, Tennessee, Georgia, Oregon, Florida, TCU, Oregon State and others.
The son of former All-Southwestern Conference Razorback linebacker Rickey Williams, Zach has the quickness, speed and high energy needed to compete in the SEC.
But he knows he has work left to do.
"I know I'm pretty fast, but I have to get a lot stronger," Williams said. "I'm a little frail right now, but that's nothing a good meal plan and workouts can't do."
Speed is the first thing that comes to mind when Senators Coach Todd Eskola thinks of Williams.
"That's the No. 1 quality," Eskola said. "Everybody sees a 6-4, 230-pound kid that runs a legitimate 4.6."
Fellow defensive end Mataio Soli -- the son of Junior Soli, who played nose guard for the Hogs and earned All-SEC honors in 1995 -- also inked with the Razorbacks.
National recruiting analyst Tom Lemming of CBS Sports Network rates Arkansas' four defensive ends all four-star prospects and believes the group of Williams, Eric Gregory, Collin Clay and Soli is one of the best in the nation. All but Clay plan to enroll in January.
"Most of us are graduating earlier, so we'll be able to be ready when football season starts," Williams said. "I think we're going to do pretty good because we need people rushing the quarterback, making him less poised and making mistakes."
He recorded 105 tackles, 32 tackles for loss, 17 sacks, 5 forced fumbles and 3 recovered fumbles this season.
Williams' relentless effort to get to ball carriers separates him from others at his position. Eskola also sees a frame that can easily put on 30 to 40 pounds.
"He's a great kid that's going to work tirelessly," Eskola said. "Again, the reason why he almost had 40 D-I offers is because people didn't see him the way he looks now, they see him the way he'll look three years from now as he progresses and his body changes and puts on weight. He's going to be a special defensive end."
Giving maximum effort on the field comes from his father, Williams said.
"I think my dad just instilled in me ever since I was 6 or 7," Williams said. "He said play hard because you can either be the hammer or the nail, and I do not want to be the nail."
With school out, Warren defensive tackle Marcus Miller signed with the Hogs minus a ceremony. He, Williams and Rison's Malik Chavis were the in-state signees for Wednesday.
Pulaski Academy tight end Hudson Henry, and Miller's teammate and wide receiver Treylon Burks plan to ink with the Hogs during a school ceremony in February.
Miller, 6-4, 300 pounds, picked the Razorbacks over scholarship offers from Tennessee, Missouri and Memphis.
"I'm very excited for Marcus," Warren Coach Bo Hembree said. "He has come a long ways the last four years and worked extremely hard on the field and classroom. He has a very bright future, and I think his best football is still ahead of him."
Sports on 12/20/2018