The Arch Manning ripple effect at Texas is alive and well.
Derek Williams, ranked No. 76 in the 2023 ESPN 300, committed to the Longhorns on Monday night, a decision that came after his official visit this weekend in Austin.
Williams, a 6-foot-2, 185-pound safety out of Westgate High School in New Iberia, Louisiana, chose Texas over Alabama, Miami, Texas A&M, LSU, Clemson and Oklahoma.
“I feel Iike I’m a great player and I think the defense will kind of fit me,” Williams told ESPN. “They’re going to use me in a nickel, safety spot. Play corner, too. Blitz off the edge, blitz coming from the safety spot.”
After Manning committed to the Longhorns on Thursday, other recruits quickly took notice. Seven players have joined him in Texas’ 2023 class since Saturday, including ESPN 300 wide receiver Jonah Wilson (No. 278) and Williams.
“That kind of shocked me,” Williams said. “I knew (Manning) was (likely) going there, but I was just making sure. That impacted my decision going (to Texas).”
Williams said Texas had been recruiting him hard early on, even when Tom Herman was still coach there. Williams said what Steve Sarkisian is in the process of building in Austin has him excited for what’s to come there.
“(Sarkisian) has done a pretty good job, really recruiting hard on the guys,” he said. “(Texas) has been recruiting me for two years now. That made me think different of them.”
Sarkisian said earlier Monday that he’s pleased with the recent surge of recruits to Austin and thinks more could be on the way.
“This has been a great run,” Sarkisian told ESPN’s Pete Thamel. “Hopefully it’s not over. I don’t think it is. We may have a few more to go here this week. Hopefully we can continue to capture some of the momentum that has been created.”