About

Joseph Williams is a sophomore wide receiver for Colorado football who already looks like a cornerstone of the Buffaloes’ new‑look offense. At 6‑foot‑2 and roughly 200 pounds, he blends a sprinter’s stride with basketball‑style body control, allowing him to stretch the field and win 50‑50 balls. As a freshman at Tulsa, he snagged 30 passes for 588 yards and five touchdowns, numbers good enough to earn American Athletic Conference Freshman of the Year honors while ranking 12th nationally in yards per catch. His quick rise in the transfer portal—graded at an 0.87 by 247Sports—made him one of Coach Deion “Prime” Sanders’ most celebrated pickups ahead of the 2025 season.

Bios

Position:	Wide Receiver
Weight:	200
Hometown:	Arlington, Texas
Prev School:	Tulsa
Height:	6-2
Class:	Sophomore
High School:	Mansfield Summit
Shilo Sanders Net Worth	$1 Million

Before Fame

Williams grew up in Arlington, Texas, within earshot of Friday‑night‑light stadiums. Football was a year‑round obsession from the age of five, but he dabbled in basketball and track before high school. Early coaches used his athleticism everywhere: he lined up at defensive line, running back, quarterback, and receiver, sometimes all in one youth‑league game. In Mansfield Summit High School, he continued to play both quarterback and safety until a senior-year conversion to wideout opened up his recruiting profile. By graduation, he had accumulated over 2,000 yards on offense, 35 touchdowns, and a reputation as a kick-blocking specialist on special teams—testament to a player who was willing to contribute anywhere on the field.

Trivia

• Three straight 100‑yard games: Williams became just the second freshman in Tulsa history to post three consecutive 100‑yard receiving outings.
• Portal pivot: He originally flirted with Utah, USC, and even Michigan before flipping to Colorado on December 22, 2024, attracted by Sanders’ promise that “nothing is handed out—everything is earned.”
• No. 8 for a reason: The wideout sports jersey No. 8 because it was the number he wore while first dominating Little League games as a quarterback. Still, Sanders made him win the digit in practice reps, a test that resonated with Williams’s work‑for‑everything upbringing.
• Hidden track speed: Though he quit competitive track after sophomore year, his recorded 100‑meter time of 10.9 seconds still circulates among recruiting blogs.

Family Life

Raised by his mother in a household that “didn’t have it easy,” Williams credits her voice for the grit that got him this far. She preached avoiding shortcuts; the same mantra jumped out when Sanders told Williams he would have to battle for snaps, jersey numbers, even locker room space. That echo of home sealed his decision to head to Boulder. Off the field, Joseph often posts photos with younger siblings and cousins back in Arlington, saying they remind him why every practice rep matters.

Associated With

• Deion Sanders: Coach Prime’s NFL‑heavy staff and merit‑based culture convinced Williams to spurn flashier NIL promises elsewhere. Their shared Texas roots and emphasis on accountability have already created a mentor‑protégé bond.
• Julian “JuJu” Lewis & Kaidon Salter: The Buffs’ quarterback battle means Williams spends extra hours throwing with both passers, eager to build chemistry regardless of who wins the job.
• Travis Hunter: Williams sees the former two‑way star as proof that position flexibility can explode a college career; he still lobbies coaches for spot snaps at safety when depth is thin.
• Fellow transfer WRs: Sincere Brown and Hykeem Williams arrived the same offseason, forming a friendly competition that could return Colorado’s passing game to the top of the Big 12.