Stephen F. Austin Offers Nacogdoches’ DaRyan Williams

DaRyan Williams won't have to travel far from home to play college football, if that's what he wants.

Stephen F. Austin reached out to the Nacogdoches defender Monday and presented the senior his second college football scholarship opportunity at the NCAA Division I level. Arkansas-Pine Bluff beat the Lumberjacks to the punch.

Williams (5-10, 199) played linebacker for Nacogdoches last season, but he shined at the ETSN + APEC Football Recruiting Combine last month as a safety. He won the event's overall Defensive MVP award.

The 'Jacks' latest target ran a tied-for-the-fastest time of 4.47 seconds in the 40-yard dash, recorded 3,546 watts of power on the Keiser squat machine and put up 185 pounds on the bench press 17 times ahead of a strong on-field performance.

Williams could be the sixth Nacogdoches defensive back with a Division I offer in a four-year span if he gets moved to safety. Three of the preceding defensive backs ended up being the region's most recruited player regardless of position in a given recruiting cycle.

Stephen F. Austin, located in Nacogdoches, finished sixth in the Southland Conference with a 5-6 record in its effort to reach the FCS playoffs for the first time since 2014.

Clint Conque is back to guide the Lumberjacks for a fourth season. He has three FCS postseason appearances in 10 years between Stephen F. Austin and Central Arkansas.

Williams will become eligible to sign with any Division I program in December.