Florida LB Transfer Scooby Williams Commits to Texas A&M

Linebacker Scooby Williams was one of two former Florida starting defenders to commit to transfer to Texas A&M on Saturday night.

Photo: Former Florida linebacker Scooby Williams; Credit: Alex Shepherd

Linebacker Scooby Williams was quick to follow nickel cornerback Jaydon Hill Saturday night in committing to transfer from Florida to Texas A&M, announcing the move via On3 Sports.

BREAKING: Former Florida LB Scooby Williams has Committed to Texas A&M, he tells @on3sports

The 6’3 230 LB totaled 69 tackles, 1 Sack, & 2 Forced Fumbles in his time at Florida.

Was ranked as a Top 85 Recruit in the ‘21 Classhttps://t.co/Cy8ofaMNpH pic.twitter.com/qt6qmgqwmf

— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) January 7, 2024

Williams, Hill and former Florida cornerback Jalen Kimber, despite his previous transfer commitment to Louisville, each visited Texas A&M this past week. News of Williams' pledge broke fewer than three hours after that of Hill's.

A native of Birmingham, Ala., Williams signed with Florida as a consensus top-75 overall prospect in the recruiting class of 2021, then considered to be the No. 4 edge rushing recruit in the country.

Both Florida's previous and current coaching staff, the latter led by Billy Napier, saw Williams as a better fit off the ball and in the second level of the defense. After redshirting in 2021, Williams took the field for eight games in 2022 and gathered 14 tackles at the new position.

He picked up a big fan amid his development: Former Florida inside linebackers coach, and current Texas A&M defensive coordinator, Jay Bateman.

"The guy that's jumping out right now is Scooby Williams. Scooby is a really unique player. At the end of the season, we were doing some pretty creative things with him. He has a chance to be really good," Bateman said about Williams in April 2023. "What we're asking Scooby to do right now and what we will ask him to do during the season, I think very few people can do. We literally have calls where he’s playing one position and based on the call he goes and plays another position."

It was in 2023 when Williams emerged as a starter in coordinator Austin Armstrong's Florida defense, playing next to sophomore Shemar James at inside linebacker. Williams accumulated 53 tackles including four for loss, one sack and two forced fumbles as a first-teamer for UF.

Williams entered the NCAA transfer portal on Dec. 31, not long after Bateman left Florida for a promotion at Texas A&M. 

Florida was quick to identify Williams' potential replacement at linebacker upon his departure. It secured the transfer commitment of rising sophomore 'backer Grayson 'Pup" Howard, who joins the Gators after one season at South Carolina. 

Howard, paired with incoming freshmen Myles Graham and Aaron Chiles, will inject fresh talent into a unit in need of better play next to rising junior and incumbent starter Shemar James and better depth behind the first-team. Despite missing the final four games of the season with an injury, James finished second among UF defenders with 54 total tackles in 2023. 

Find Florida's full log of transfer portal activity here. 

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