Arkansas has landed one of the nation’s top junior college defensive linemen with the signature of Jalen Williams.
Williams, 6-3, 310 pounds, of Jones (Miss.) College, chose the Razorbacks over offers from Florida State, Georgia, Ole Miss, Colorado, Memphis, Duke, Washington State and other programs.
Arkansas Coach Sam Pittman and defensive line coach Derrick LeBlanc helped sway him to Fayetteville.
"I just talked with Coach LeBlanc and Coach Pittman and I could tell they had what it took to get me to the next level and that they would care for me more than as just a football player," Williams said.
Williams was named second-team All-Conference by the Mississippi Association of Community & Junior Colleges as a freshman last year when he recorded 28 tackles, four tackles for loss, one sack and two quarterback hurries.
ESPN rates him a 3-star prospect, the No. 1 defensive tackle and the No. 6 overall junior college prospect in the nation. He admires LeBlanc as a person and as a coach.
"I can just tell he's a legitimately good person and he's going to be the type of coach to give me 100% and expect 100% out of me," Williams said.
The Tylertown, Miss., native is expected to graduate in December and enroll at Arkansas in January. He becomes Arkansas’ 21st signee for the 2021 class.