Few Texas Longhorn athletes are more notable or polarizing than two-sport star Jonah Williams.
It’s odd to say that about a player who played just 71 defensive snaps on the gridiron this year, 28th on the team, but that’s just the kind of guy Williams is.
The five-star Texas football recruit would be one of the most followed players on the football field, with or without baseball. He was the No. 1 safety in the 2025 class, a Texas native, and a big personality on social media. He’s not afraid to drop a quote tweet or dance on Instagram or TikTok.
That alone would feed into his notoriety, but for those who didn’t pay close attention last year, he’s a damn good baseball player.
So much so that as a 17-year-old true freshman, in what should’ve been his senior year of high school, Williams assumed a starting spot in mid-April and never looked back. The outfielder hit .327 in his 55 ABs, including two hits and three RBI in his first start of the year against Auburn.
He has already proven himself as a potential star on the diamond, but after a full season playing football, what would it be like when he returned?
Well, Texas head coach Jim Schlossnagle cleared up a lot of the air on any concern about his role with the team.
When asked about the right field spot in the outfield, one of the more open positions on the team, Schlossnagle immediately brought up the two-sport star.
“I think we’ll see how the next couple days go, but right now Jonah, we put him out in right field, which is a new position for him,” Schlossnagle said, before explaining what makes the right field spot so hard at the home ballpark. “Jonah will get… if he plays, if he starts the game on Friday, it will likely be in right field.”
The manager had to stop himself, but it seemed like he was nearly ready to announce Williams as a game one starter for Texas. That would be a very good sign for his health, as a big concern from many was his chances of playing early on in the season after playing football into January.
“I think just pure preparation, the fact that he’s gotten to be down here, we gave him some time off after the bowl game, because he really hadn’t had any time off, and give his body a break, spend some time with his family,” Schlossnagle said. “Since then, he’s really been locked into baseball. So I think just the preparation gave us a chance to assess his body, make sure we didn’t put him in a bad spot. So I think he’s trending in the right direction.”
The praise for Williams continued from the head coach, and he quickly became a popular topic of conversation.
Schlossnagle was asked earlier to name some players he sees in the top of the order. Schloss rattled off four familiar names, but a late one popped into the conversation.
“You know, when Jonah (Williams) is going well, he brings a mentality that’s so cool, you know, and it kind of sets a tone,” Schlossnagle said. “And so I’m not sure we’re ready to go there yet, but when he’s healthy and in the right space, he brings something to the table that not many of our players bring.”
Schlossnagle sees his ceiling in year two as a potential top-of-the-order player, possibly even hitting in the lead-off spot for the Longhorns. With his natural talent, athleticism and mentality to competing, it’s easy to see why.
That mentality is a big reason Schlossnagle loves what he has in Williams.
“Jonah, it’s definitely the swag. But he’s so much more than that. He is one million percent about the team. From the second he gets here, it’s about the team. When he doesn’t do well, he’s going to show it kind of emotionally, but it’s not selfish because I didn’t do well. It’s selfish because he feels like he let the team down. And honestly, we have to talk him back from that a little bit,” Schlossnagle said. “He’s truly trying to win pitch to pitch. If you hear him in the dugout, he’s always behind his teammates. He’s not afraid to call somebody out, regardless of your age, and he’s not afraid to be called out. So I called it competitive intelligence last year, and he has that. And he’s truly all about the team. When he’s in the building, we’re a different team. I know it’s refreshing to me to see him every day.”
Pretty insightful words in the final part of the quote, especially for a player so young, split between two sports.
Williams is clearly not just a part of this team’s identity; the team molds its environment around him. When he’s around, there’s a different level of confidence, advocacy and competitiveness that allows others to thrive around him.
The season may start slow for Williams, but it’s hard not to get excited about what kind of player he may be when SEC play rolls around. For now, it’s all about getting his body in baseball mode, and making the most of the early reps he can get.