Nebraska transfer edge rusher James Williams commits to Florida State

Nebraska transfer edge rusher James Williams has committed to Florida State, according to On3’s Hayes Fawcett. He has at least one year of eligibility remaining.

Williams played 16 games at Nebraska. He had 18 tackles and seven sacks in those games.

Williams was unrated as a high school prospect in the 2022 signing class, playing at Park Hill (Mo.) High School. He played a season of JUCO football before ending up with the Cornhuskers for the 2023 and 2024 seasons.

Williams joins a Florida State program that is now re-shuffling the deck after a disappointing 2024 campaign, which should mean plenty of opportunity. He’s also following defensive coordinator Tony White from Nebraska to Tallahassee, where White is now the DC for the Seminoles.

The Seminoles hired White in early December

The Seminoles had been in the market for a new defensive coach after Adam Fuller was dismissed last month, before he was able to finish his fifth season as the Florida State defensive coordinator. With the expected hiring of White, Mike Norvell landed a premier, lauded coach for the position.

White’s Nebraska defense finished the 2024 regular season in the Top 20 in both scoring defense (19.8 points per game) and total defense (315.4 yards per game). It helped the Cornhuskers get bowl eligible for the first time in more than half a decade.

During his short stint with the Cornhuskers, White endeared himself to Lincoln and the rest of the Big Ten, as he did during his time with Syracuse and the ACC. Some theorized he could be up for a head coaching gig, but he’ll take his talents to Tallahassee to help Norvell and the Seminoles rebound in 2025.

Florida State’s downfall has been well publicized, after an undefeated season last year where they were left out of the College Football Playoff. Unfortunately, the wheels fell off from the get-go in 2024, but the coaching staff is determined to get back to what made them successful last season.