27 Days to Purdue Football: Zeke Williams

Zeke Williams - RS Freshman

Naperville, Illinois (Naperville North HS)

Cornerback

5’10” - 190 lbs.

2023 Projection: Special Teams / Scout Team / Deep Depth

Zeke Williams is a fresh face, a transfer from Northern Illinois. The former three-star recruit entered the transfer portal after seeing no action at his first stop and committed to Purdue in late April of this year.

That commitment was a good sign for those who follow recruiting religiously; his younger brother Luke Williams is a four-star athlete entering his senior season of high school who committed to Purdue less than two months after his brother was offered a spot in West Lafayette.

This sort of tactic is common in college football, but the elder Williams is no slouch in his own right: the former two-way player showed his athleticism as both a receiver and cover corner in high school before spending his first year of college focusing on the defensive side of the ball. As a senior, he recorded seven pass breakups alongside his 43 receptions for 438 yards and three touchdowns. The two brothers seem to share the trait of just being some of the most talented players on the field, players who no coach can keep off the field.

I’d like to think Ryan Walters is doing his best impression of Jack Black in School of Rock right now:

I’m a teacher. All I need are minds for molding.

He’s got the size and speed to succeed, but that timeline’s not one for those who like instant gratification. Give Zeke Williams some time on the scout team and possibly occasional special teams duty to get the feel for the speed of a major college conference and he’ll begin to adjust just fine.