Blalock: Derek Williams Jr. reaps rewards of dicey decision to stay at Texas

Players entering the transfer portal at the first sign of discomfort or disagreement is a new norm in college football. This pattern is a product of a 2021 transfer rule that permitted NCAA players to transfer once without sitting out a year, and of a subsequent rule passed in 2024 that allowed them to transfer as many times as they want and take to the field immediately. But in this landscape where it’s unprecedentedly easy for players to pack up shop and pursue new beginnings, Derek Williams Jr., a Texas senior defensive back, chose to bet on himself and stick with the program he had selected back in high school. Advertisement It was both a risky and unpopular decision — but also the best one he could’ve made. For those unfamiliar with Williams Jr.’s collegiate career, here is a brief summary. The former four-star prospect from New Iberia, Louisiana, played meaningful snaps as a freshman in 2023 and secured a starting spot for the Longhorns back in 2024.

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