KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Carson-Newman defensive back and punt returner Major Williams has been selected to D2Football.com's Elite 100 Watch List, the website announced Friday afternoon.
The D2Football.com Elite 100 Watch List was selected by the staff of D2Football.com with the input of Josh Buchanan. Williams makes the listing under the all-purpose category.
He is the first player recognized by the website for C-N since Rondrow Peebles prior to the start of the 2021 season.
Williams finished third on the team in tackles and second in the SAC in tackles amongst defensive backs. The UVA transfer finished the year with 49 tackles and five stops for loss. The five tackles for loss are the second-most in C-N history among defensive backs behind All-American safety Darius Williams' 7.5 in 2019. Williams had a career-high seven tackles on four occasions against Limestone (9/17), Lenoir-Rhyne (9/24), Newberry (10/1) and Catawba (11/12). Those were among five games where he had at least five tackles.
Williams had two picks on the year, both of which were against Erskine (10/15). He brought back one of those interceptions 28 yards for a defensive touchdown. The sophomore had 15 pass break ups on the year, ranking third in the SAC and fifth in the nation. His 17 passes defensed are the 11th most in a single season in school history. His four pass break ups against UVA Wise (11/5) are tied for the fourth most in a single-game in school history.
He was named SAC Special Team Player of the Week on Nov. 14. Williams became the first player in Carson-Newman history with more than 100 yards of punt returns in a single game. He brought two punts back for 111 yards. The UVA transfer is the second Eagle to earn special teams player of the week honors this season, joining Trayzel Jureidini-Wyche. Williams returned one punt 86 yards for a score, the first punt return for a touchdown for Carson-Newman since Desmond Fairell brought one back against Virginia-Lynchburg in 2018. The 86-yarder is the fourth-longest punt return in SAC and Carson-Newman history. Williams has three of the seven-highest single-game punt return totals in the last three weeks for the C-N football program.
Williams' 295 punt return yards last year are the sixth-most in a season in school history. However, his 32.78 yard/per return mark reset the single-season record.
First Team
QB John Matocha 5-11, 180, Sr. Colorado Mines
RB Jada Byers 5-7, 180, Jr. Virginia Union
RB Jordan Terrell 5-10, 210, Jr. Barton
WR Marquis Gray 5-9, 165, Sr. Southeastern Oklahoma
WR Max McLeod 6-3, 205, Sr. Colorado Mines
TE Devon Garrison 6-6, 228, Sr. Pittsburg State
OL Blake Bustard 6-7, 318, Jr. Wayne State (MI)
OL Ty Cobb 6-2, 290, Sr. Bemidji State
OL Michael Jerrell 6-5, 294, Sr. Findlay
OL Levi Johnson 6-5, 280, Sr. Colorado Mines
OL Blake Larson 6-7, 310, Sr. Augustana
DL Andre Jefferson 6-2, 300, Sr. Lenoir-Rhyne
DL Ian Marshall 6-1, 280, Sr. Northern State
DL Deshawn McCarthy 6-4, 265, Sr. East Stroudsburg
DL Hunter O'Connor 6-3, 255, Jr. Chadron State
LB Landon Honeycutt 6-2, 225, Sr. Mars Hill
LB Clay Schueffner 6-1, 230, Sr. Winona State
LB Abe Swanson 6-1, 222, Sr. Grand Valley
DB Daniel Bone 6-0, 175, Jr. CSU-Pueblo
DB Tre Morrison 6-2, 185, Sr. Wingate
DB Tristan Rankin 6-1, 210, Sr. Mars Hill
DB Shon Stephens 6-0, 180, Sr. Ferris State
K Devin Bartholomew 5-8, 170, Sr. East Stroudsburg
P Joe Couch 5-11, 210, Sr. Ouachita Baptist
AP Trey Vaval 6-0, 170, Sr. Minnesota State
Second Team
QB TJ Davis 6-3, 180, Sr. Nebraska-Kearney
RB Tariq Reid 6-0, 206, Sr. Grand Valley
RB Tre Stewart 5-10, 180, Jr. Limestone
WR Kyle Sheets 6-4, 220, Sr. Slippery Rock
WR Yogi Flager Jr. 5-10, 170, Jr. McKendree
TE CJ Kiss 6-5, 230, Sr. Notre Dame
OL Garrett Carroll 6-5, 315, Sr. Grand Valley
OL Matthew Foster 6-7, 315, Sr. Virginia State
OL Zacary Henson 6-3, 295, Sr. Ouachita Baptist
OL Trase Jeffries 6-4, 322, Sr. Pittsburg State
OL Aiden Williams 6-6, 285, Sr. Minnesota Duluth
DL Davonchae Bryant 6-7, 295, Sr. West Alabama
DL Loobert Denelus 6-0, 255, Sr. Benedict
DL Christian McCarroll 6-4, 270, Sr. Grand Valley
DL Olalere OLadipo 6-4, 265, Sr. Ferris State
LB Will Breland 6-1, 230, Jr. West Florida
LB Dubem Okonkwo 6-0, 228, Jr. Pittsburg State
LB Marc Sippel 6-2, 225, Jr. Michigan Tech
DB CJ Brown 6-0, 190, Gr. Kutztown
DB Willie Drew 6-1, 180, Sr. Virginia State
DB Brandon Penn 5-11, 186, Jr. Glenville State
DB Eli Pittman 5-11, 187, Jr. CSU-Pueblo
K Nick Herber 5-7, 175, Jr. Delta State
P Bryan Frey 6-1, 195, So. Limestone
AP Kameron Johnson 5-10, 170, Jr. Barton
Squad
QB Brandon Alt 6-2, 210, Sr. Bemidji State
QB Braden Gleason 6-0, 191, Sr. Emporia State
QB Pee Wee Jarrett 6-4, 240, Sr. West Florida
QB Jayden Johannsen 6-2, 210, Jr. SD Mines
QB Mylik Mitchell 6-4, 205, Sr. Ferris State
QB Cade Peterson 6-4, 223, Sr. Grand Valley
QB Patrick Shegog 6-0, 200, Gr. Delta State
RB Korien Burrell 5-10, 218, Jr. Henderson State
RB Shen Butler-Lawson 6-0, 215, Jr. Minnesota State
RB Abel Carter 5-9, 185, Sr. Southwest Baptist
RB Dwayne McGee 5-7, 170, Jr. Lenoir-Rhyne
RB Nate Omayebu III 5-11, 230, Gr. Southeastern Oklahoma
RB Jariq Scales 5-10, 190, Jr. Southern Arkansas
WR Peyton Brown 5-11, 175, Sr. Davenport
WR Gage Florence 5-10, 185, So MSU-Moorhead
WR Dev Holmes 5-9, 175, Gr. New Haven
WR DeWaylon Ingram 6-3, 190, Gr. Northern State
WR Anthony Lowe 5-11, 176, Sr. Tiffin
WR Darius Willis 5-8, 170, Jr. Michigan Tech
TE Mike Rigerman 6-2, 260, Sr. Findlay
TE Tommy Washington 6-1, 245, Gr. Newberry
OL David Bodden 6-2, 280, Jr. West Georgia
OL Jacob Bruce 6-4, 290, Sr. West Florida
OL Jordan Davis 6-5, 295, Sr. Grand Valley
OL Hunter Hays 6-3, 315, Sr. Nebraska-Kearney
OL Blake Jefferson 6-0, 280, Sr. Lenoir-Rhyne
OL Grant Smith 6-5, 325, Gr. SD Mines
DL Austin Alward 6-5, 220, Jr. Davenport
DL Aaron Barnett 6-1, 237, Jr. Indianapolis
DL Marquise Fleming 6-1, 230, Jr. Wingate
DL Devante Gambrell 6-0, 270, Sr. Newberry
DL Zach Hester 6-3, 235, Sr. Colorado Mines
DL Victor Nelson 5-10, 295, Jr. Ferris State
DL Jordan Williams 6-1, 265, Sr. Emporia State
LB JT Cavender 6-0, 220, Jr. West Texas
LB Jacob Daulton 6-1, 215, Sr. Minnesota State
LB Davon Gilmore 6-3, 235, Jr. Wingate
LB Alex Kowalczyk 5-11, 220, Jr. Wayne State (Neb.)
LB Devon Roush 6-1, 215, Sr. East Central
LB Isaac Vollstedt 6-1, 227, Sr. Northwest Missouri
DB Mike Brown 6-1, 207, Jr. Indianapolis
DB Amos Coleman 5-11, 185, Sr. Texas A&M-Kingsville
DB Knylen Miller-Levi 6-1, 195, Sr. Minot State
DB Deontae Overstreet 5-9, 200, Sr. West Georgia
DB Andrew Pitts 5-9, 165, So. Angelo State
DB Patrick Rogers 5-11, 190, Sr. Central Washington
DB Cahleel Smith 6-0. 203, Jr. Northwest Missouri
DB K'hari Watson 6-0, 185, Sr. Angelo State
AP Kashan Griffin 6-1, 162, Sr. Northwest Missouri
AP Major Williams 6-2, 180, Sr. Carson-Newman
