The Arkansas Razorbacks received their third commitment of the week Thursday evening when defensive end Zach Williams made an oral commitment.
"I think over all these schools I visited, I weighed my pros and cons ... I felt like Arkansas was the best option for me even though some were very close," said Williams who plays at Joe T. Robinson. "I felt like there was nothing better than home I guess since I was raised around Arkansas."
Williams, 6-4, 225 pounds, 4.57 seconds on the 40-yard dash, picked the Hogs over 26 other scholarship offers from schools like Alabama, Texas, Tennessee, Georgia, Oregon, Florida, TCU, Oregon State and Louisville.
He told Arkansas Coach Chad Morris on Monday of his desire to be a Hog.
"He was really happy," said Williams, a second-team Arkansas Democrat-Gazette All-Arkansas Preps selection last season. "He was Woo Pig Sooie this and that. He was very excited."
He becomes the second son of a former Razorback to pledge to the Hogs for the 2019 class. Fellow defensive end Mataio Soli, the son of Junior Soli, who played nose guard for the Hogs and earned All-SEC honors in 1995, is also committed.
Williams' father Rickey was an All-Southwest Conference linebacker at Arkansas in 1987. He said his father and mother Keli wanted him to think things over after he told them of his decision.
"He first said, 'Am I sure?' " Williams said. "I think this was a couple of weeks ago and then they didn't want me to not commit as soon as I figured I wanted to go there because they wanted to see if if I would change my mind over the next few days."
He recorded 65 tackles, 28 tackles for loss, 11 sacks, 3 recovered fumbles and 1 forced fumble as a junior.
Williams is the Hogs' ninth commitment for the 2019 class. Oral commitments are nonbinding.
Sports on 07/06/2018