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.
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. But a torn ACL prematurely ended his sophomore season in mid-October, and he struggled to reestablish his role the next season due to the competitive nature of Texas’ 2025 defensive backs room.
When the Longhorns’ 2025 campaign ended, Williams Jr. was faced with a difficult decision. Should he stay at Texas and see what happens, or should he leave and try to make up for the playing time his injury had already stolen from him?
The above questions are similar to the ones a lot of 18- to 22-year-old players have been forced to ask themselves in college football’s modern era — and many have selected the latter choice. Nearly twice as many players entered the portal in 2025 as in 2020, which is before the new rules were implemented, reflecting the changing nature of the game at large.
Despite the external pressures reflected in that statistic, and even entering the portal briefly, Williams Jr. decided to give another season at Texas a shot.
Fast forward 10 months, and the fourth-year Longhorn is finally getting his flowers.
“What a decision it has been for him (to stay) because I think he’s playing better today than he was prior to the injury,” head coach Steve Sarkisian said of Williams Jr. on Monday. “I think he’s playing at a really high level — his level of engagement, his communication skills. He’s doing a lot of really good things for us right now.”
I’m not anti-transfer portal, and I’m fairly certain Sarkisian isn’t either — he acquired some of his best players through the portal this past offseason. But much like it seems Sarkisian does, I find it refreshing to see that there are still players like Williams Jr. out there willing to gamble on their growth without departing for greener-looking pastures.
He has already accumulated over twice as many solo tackles as he did last season, and the Longhorns still have three regular season games remaining. This upcoming weekend, the senior defensive back will get to put his talents on display in his home state against LSU.
Senior quarterback Arch Manning, who also grew up in Louisiana, said he’s excited for Williams Jr. and proud of his comeback.
“That’s my guy,” Manning said. “Derek’s a baller. He’s been through a lot — he got injured. I think he’s been playing really well lately. He’s physical. I’m excited for him to go back home.”
Williams Jr. is one of those players who has been dealt a seemingly unfair hand during his college football career — one shaped by injury and the adversity that has stemmed from it.
As a reward for his patience and his perseverance, I hope his home state welcomes him with open arms on Saturday. I also hope a few more people might familiarize themselves with his story and realize you don’t always have to flee the scene to get a new start.
