Jefferson mulls future as Williams says goodbye
AUSTIN — Malik Jefferson moved deliberately off the field at Royal-Memorial Stadium and onto the burnt orange walkway leading into the Moncrief-Neuhaus Athletic Center building, where he would retreat to Texas’ lavishly renovated locker room. Before he disappeared down the tunnel, Jefferson kissed his right hand, crouched, and planted it onto a huge white Longhorns logo. Then he walked off in a dead-eyed daze. It looked like goodbye. The junior linebacker gave no definitive answer about his future following UT’s collapse against Texas Tech, the 20th defeat of his career. Some draftniks, like Bleacher Report’s Matt Miller and USA Today’s Luke Easterling, project Jefferson as a first-round pick.
Thorpe award finalist DeShon Elliott and cornerback Holton Hill — suspended for a team rules violation since November 7 — could both bolt for the pros, too. Even probable Ray Guy award winner Michael Dickson is pondering whether to follow his fellow juniors into the NFL.
“I haven’t decided yet,” said Jefferson, UT’s leader in tackles (110), tackles for loss (10) and sacks (four). “I’ve been talking to my parents and coach. It’s going to be a hard decision. Looking in that locker room, I look at those guys to the left and right of me and I just smile because I love the things we’ve been through. It’s been a tough past three years, but guys understand the love that I have for them.”
Said Dickson: “I’ve been trying to focus on each game to be honest. I don’t think that saying if I’m leaving or staying would benefit my punting anyway, so I’ll see after the season.”
Williams leaving
Junior left tackle Connor Williams already bid farewell to Texas. On Monday, the All-American announced he would forgo his senior season and the Longhorns’ upcoming bowl game in order to enter the 2018 NFL draft.
Williams suffered a torn meniscus on Sept. 16 against Southern Cal and missed seven games. His Nov. 18 return against West Virginia unsurprisingly coincided with the Longhorns’ best rushing performance since week two. Many expect the 6-6, 315-pound prospect to break the school’s 15-year drought without an offensive lineman selected in the first round.
“My time here, from calling my father crying and informing him I had been admitted to the Red McCombs Business School, to holding the phone with my mother on the other end trying to inch the words out that my teammates had elected me as team captain, the joy and endeavors I have faced at this amazing university cannot be matched,” Williams said. “While it comes with some sadness, it also comes with the excitement of moving to the next challenge.”
The prudent play for any eligible NFL-ready “amateur” is to jump when their stock is at its peak. Millions of dollars await, and in a sport where the average career lasts only 3.3 years, timing matters.
There has been no indication Jefferson or any of UT’s other draft prospects plan to do so, but it’s possible Williams was the first domino. Maybe this piece topples the rest.
A 7-5 regular season followed by a bowl win might have swayed some to stay. But Texas Tech quarterback Nic Shimonek erased that promising future with a fourth-quarter comeback on Black Friday.
Warren to transfer
Now coach Tom Herman is staring down a 6-7 season and an impending mass exodus of talented underclassmen. And it’s not just the draft he has to worry about.
Junior Chris Warren plans to transfer after being asked to transition into a tight end/H-back role. Offensive linemen Terrell Cuney and Jake McMillon are likely done with football, though the latter seemed less sure of calling it a career.
But Williams, the program’s most attractive pro prospect, is moving on. Despite three years of disappointment and one final inexplicable loss, Williams managed to strike a positive tone on his way out.
“The relationships I have formed with my teammates, the student body and the staff have created a bond that will last a lifetime,” Williams said. “The blood, sweat and tears, and having been through so much together, will always hold a special place in my heart.
“I look forward to the process and experiences ahead of me, but remain in such appreciation of how blessed I have been to truly know the 40 Acres. I know, understand and believe the true meaning of ‘Longhorn For Life.’ ”
A Longhorn for life, and a Longhorn no more. We’ll soon find out who follows.