From Hardwood to the Gridiron: How Jackson Williams Turned a Late Football Comeback into an SEC Opportunity
There was a moment not long ago when Jackson Williams stood on the sidelines at Newman High, watching Arch Manning command the offense with ease and confidence. Williams felt a tug - not just admiration, but something deeper.
Regret. That could’ve been him out there, too.
But back then, Williams had made a choice. Basketball was his first love, and as a freshman, he went all in.
Football, a sport he’d played since he was a kid, took a back seat. He shelved the helmet and pads to chase championships on the hardwood.
Now, fast forward to his senior year, and Williams is on the verge of signing a football scholarship with LSU - a school that once felt more like a dream than a destination.
A Winding Road to Baton Rouge
It’s been a whirlwind ride. Williams, a 6-foot-2, 185-pound defensive back, is a three-star prospect who’s taken the scenic route to Tiger Stadium.
After transferring from Newman to Archbishop Shaw in the summer of 2024, he reignited his football career while still suiting up for basketball. That move set off a chain of events that would eventually land him in Baton Rouge.
His recruiting journey? Let’s just say it had more twists than a fourth-quarter two-minute drill.
Williams originally committed to Tulane, then flipped to Washington State and signed there in December. But coaching changes at both schools - and eventually at LSU - opened the door for a late pivot.
When Lane Kiffin took the reins in Baton Rouge, LSU came calling.
“It’s been crazy, the recruiting process,” Williams said.
From Lockdown Defender to Defensive Back
Two years ago, Williams didn’t see this coming. At Newman, his focus was all basketball, all the time. He helped the Greenies win state titles as a freshman and sophomore and played year-round, including travel ball under then-Newman coach Randy Livingston.
His calling card? Defense. Williams was the guy Livingston trusted to pick up the opposing team’s best ballhandler full court - a job that takes quick feet, sharp instincts, and relentless energy.
“That was one of the big things that correlated over to football from my basketball stuff,” Williams said. “It’s my defense.”
But after a rocky basketball season at Newman - one that included an LHSAA ruling that stripped the program of wins and led to an exodus of players - Williams decided it was time for a change. He transferred to Shaw, and with that move, football came back into the picture.
A Natural Fit in the Secondary
At Shaw, Williams didn’t just join the football team - he became a key piece of the defense. He stepped into a starting role in the secondary, rotating between free safety and cornerback, despite having never played either position before.
His previous football experience? Mostly on offense - quarterback, running back, and wide receiver - back in eighth grade.
But Shaw head coach Hank Tierney saw something right away.
“He’s a great athlete who can run and jump and looks great physically,” Tierney said. “He looks like an SEC player physically.”
LSU safeties coach Jake Olsen agreed. During a recent visit, Olsen broke out the film and showed Williams two plays from his 2025 season that stood out.
One was a hit over the middle against De La Salle - Williams, playing centerfield in a three-high safety look, closed the gap in a flash and knocked the ball loose with a clean, physical hit.
The other was against Rummel. A tight end broke toward the sideline, and Williams flipped his hips with the kind of fluidity you can’t teach, breaking up the pass and forcing an incompletion.
“They felt like things that I put on film, it’s something you can’t teach,” Williams said.
A Raw Talent with Sky-High Potential
Williams announced his LSU commitment on Jan. 18. And while he may still be a bit raw, the Tigers believe they’ve found a gem.
“They got a diamond in the rough,” Tierney said. He added that LSU might redshirt Williams to give him time to develop, but the tools are there. “Man, he’s got skills.”
And there’s a family legacy of athleticism to back it up.
His older brother, Jordon, was a defensive end on Rummel’s 2019 state championship team and now serves in the Army, stationed in Poland. Their father, Byron, didn’t even have football at his high school but walked on at Northwestern State and earned a shot with the San Francisco 49ers as an undrafted free agent.
“It’s like, if I would have played one or two years of high school football, where would I have been,” Byron said. He tells his son, “You’re playing one or two years of high school and look where you are.”
Their mother, Y’Esha, ran the 400 meters at Northwestern State - more proof that athleticism runs deep in the Williams household.
Still Competing - and Still Growing
Williams isn’t done competing at Shaw just yet. He’s still playing basketball for a program that’s made the state tournament four years in a row.
And this spring? He’s planning to give track and field a shot, trying his hand at the long jump and high jump for the first time.
“I’ve always been told I’m really athletic,” Williams said - a statement that feels more like understatement than brag.
He dunked for the first time before ninth grade. Now, a few years later, he’s headed to the SEC.
From giving up football to chase basketball dreams, to rediscovering the game and turning it into a ticket to LSU, Jackson Williams’ journey is a reminder that sometimes the long road home is the most rewarding one.