Meet The Freshman: Defensive Lineman Elias Williams
The Missouri Tigers did an excellent job reloading their defensive line with talent after the departures of Darius Robinson, Realus George, Nyles Gaddy and others in both the transfer portal and on the recruiting trail. 5-star Williams Nwaneri was the prized posession of all the freshman, and guys like Darris Smith, Zion Young Jr and Chris McClellan will get all the early recognition. 4-star freshman Elias Williams might not, but he appears to have a bright future.
Williams, one of three defensive line commits and multiple transfers, the Tigers have a bright future with their upcoming class of linemen. Williams, a Florida native, may have to wait to see the field, but his combination of size and positional versatility will prove valuable to Missouri down the road.
High School
Last season for Hudson High School, Williams recorded 42 total tackles, 9.5 tackles for loss and 7 sacks. The year before he recorded similar numbers, with 51 tackles, 13.5 tackles for loss and 7 sacks again. He had 27 sacks throughout his 4-year career at the varsity level.
Williams also played basketball for Hudson, where he averaged 9.2 points, 7.5 rebounds and 1.1 blocks per game. Not only basketball, he also threw discus early on in his high school career, where he threw a personal best of 139-7. This combination of athletic traits led him to rise in recruiting rankings throughout national media outlets.
Recruiting
By the end of the 2024 recruiting cycle, Williams found himself as a composite 4-star recruit, ranked as one by all four outlets. On3 listed him as the composite No. 234 player in the country, as well as the No. 23 defensive lineman and No. 28 in the state of Florida. In the On3 individual rankings, he was No. 128 in the country, the No. 12 defensive lineman and No. 17 in Florida.
Williams listed a top-4 schools of UCF, Indiana, Florida State and Missouri on Aug. 23. He committed on Sept. 1, but continued to take visits after his verbal commitment. Those visits, both official and unofficial, included Alabama, Tennessee and Missouri. He also picked up an offer from USC between the time he committed and signed. He did eventually shut down his recruitment and sign with Eli Drinkwitz and the Tigers.
The 4-star recruit held offers from multiple schools, including Tennessee, Alabama, Kansas, UCF, Indiana, Florida State, Louisville, Miami, USC and many others.
Fit with the Tigers
Like many of the incoming freshman, it will be a challenge to see the field this coming season. Williams could be an exception based on the blend of size and speed he brings, but it still will be a challenge. If he wants snaps at the defensive tackle position, he has to outshine transfers Sterling Webb and Eddie Kelly, two proven veterans who have put up impressive numbers at their previous destinations.
To get in at defensive end, Williams will have to outshine Nwaneri, Darris Smith and Joe Moore, all of which have their claims to the backup spots. Williams could see the field here and there this year, but a redshirt year might be incoming.
Williams is a heavier 6-foot-4, 268-pounds. We know that Drinkwitz likes his larger defensive ends, hence Darius Robinson, but a move inside could also be a possibility, as well as a benefit for Williams. He doesn't have what it takes yet from a skillset standpoint, as far as moves and counters go. He has some track-speed which could make him a candidate to play outside.
His unique athletic profile will be his biggest strong-suit for Missouri for years to come. Whether he kicks inside or stays on the edge will depend on him putting on more weight, or losing some. Regardless, his upside at both positions will be an asset for the Tigers defense.
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MICHAEL STAMPS
Michael Stamps is a freshman at the University of Missouri pursuing a degree in journalism. He's covered recruiting for MizzouCentral since 2023. Michael is from Papillion, Nebraska.