Three-star running back picks KU over two perennial football powers
Anthony “Pooka” Williams, a three-star Rivals running back ranked as the 16th-best player in Louisiana, signed with the Kansas football team during a Friday morning ceremony.
Williams, from Hahnville, stuck with his original oral commitment to KU after receiving late offers from LSU and Nebraska.
Anthony “Pooka” Williams signs with Kansas pic.twitter.com/BAvRP7YPwT
— Amos Morale III (@Amos_MoraleIII) December 22, 2017
The 5-foot-10 Williams led the state with 3,120 rushing yards last season. He also added 37 rushing touchdowns and was chosen New Orleans Metro Player of the Year.
Williams has had football success following a freak accident, as when he was 9 years old, he lost all the toes in his right foot after his cousin ran over him with a lawn mower.
247Sports’ composite ranking has Williams listed as the nation’s 487th-best player.
The Jayhawks now have 14 signed for the 2018 recruiting class, which includes nine juco players and five high-schoolers. Florida State tight end Mavin Saunders also will be joining KU as a graduate transfer.
Jesse Newell: 816-234-4759, @jessenewell
2018 KU football recruiting class
Name | Pos. | Ht. | Wt. | Last school |
Charles Cole | DT | 6-3 | 280 | Butler County CC (El Dorado, Kan.) |
Mac Copeland | OL | 6-5 | 250 | Wichita Collegiate HS |
Foster Dixson | DE | 6-5 | 250 | West Los Angeles CC |
Miles Emery* | DE | 6-5 | 235 | Blue Valley North HS |
Davon Ferguson | ATH | 5-11 | 185 | Hartnell CC (Salinas, Calif.) |
Corione Harris | CB | 6-1 | 170 | Landry-Walker HS (New Orleans) |
Elmore Hempstead | DB | 6-0 | 185 | Fort Scott (Kan.) CC |
Elijah Jones | DB | 6-3 | 185 | Ellsworth CC (Iowa Falls, Iowa) |
Azur Kamara | DE | 6-6 | 230 | Arizona Western CC (Yuma, Ariz.) |
Jacobi Lott | OL | 6-5 | 308 | Tascosa HS (Amarillo, Texas) |
Jeremiah McCullough | DB | 6-0 | 205 | Hartnell CC (Salinas, Calif.) |
Stephon Robinson | WR | 5-11 | 170 | El Camino CC (Narbonne, Calif.) |
Najee Stevens-McKenzie | DE | 6-4 | 215 | ASA College (Brooklyn, N.Y.) |
Anthony “Pooka” Williams | RB | 5-10 | 165 | Hahnville HS (Boutte, La.) |
Nick Williams | OL | 6-8 | 260 | Ritenour HS (Overland, Mo.) |
*has not yet signed
This story was originally published December 22, 2017 at 1:03 PM.