Jonah Williams Drawing Attention From Veteran Texas Longhorns Safety

Jonah Williams, the former five-star safety recruit and dual-sport star, is turning heads in practice with Texas football, showing off a little personality that Longhorn fans caught a glimpse of during this past baseball season.

Long-time Texas safety Michael Taaffe commented on Williams' excitement in practice, seeing something different in the freshman safety.

Williams is Showing Some Energy in Camp

"When I make a play, or somebody else makes a great play on Arch [Manning], Jonah is the first one up in the O-line talking smack. I'm like, dude, if I had those guts when I was a freshman, my face would be bloody," Taaffe said, according to Burnt Orange Nation's Wescott Eberts.

Williams joins the Longhorns as the No. 1 safety in the 2025 class and one of Texas's top overall prospects in the team's last recruiting cycle, according to 247Sports. Perhaps the most athletic Longhorn on the Forty Acres, playing football and baseball with Texas, Taaffe has noticed just how impressive Williams could become.

"I know God creates every single one of us hand by hand, but I think he put a little more holy water on him," Taaffe said.

According to Eberts, Williams reached 22 mph on Texas's GPS trackers, showing off the track speed he boasted in high school. When running the 200 meters at Ball High School in Texas, Williams recorded a time of 22.24 seconds according to 247Sports.

So far, Texas fans have only had a glimpse of Williams on the diamond after completing his first season with Texas baseball this past spring, not yet seeing him on the gridiron. With the baseball team, Williams played 20 games, starting 15, and finished the season batting .327, with 10 RBI on 18 hits and a .383 OBP.

He is now set to begin his first season with the Texas football team this coming fall. In high school, Williams missed the second half of his senior season with injury, but in his junior season, Williams had 58 tackles, four TFL and four interceptions, three of which were returned for touchdowns.

"Dynamic multi-sport standout who affects football games in all three phases," 247Sports Scouting Analyst Gabe Brooks said. "Could get on the field early as a defensive weapon and special teams keystone. Projects as a multi-year high-major impact player with high-round NFL Draft upside."

The season is around the corner, and Longhorn fans will soon see if their star baseball player will show out on the gridiron as well. Texas takes on Ohio State in week one of the college football season on August 30.