Brophy Prep cornerback Noah Williams will follow a well-worn path from the Phoenix, Ariz., school to Stanford as a preferred walk-on recruit. Current Cardinal AT Hall and CJ Keller are former Broncos.
So it was not a surprise that last spring Stanford defensive coordinator Lance Anderson visited the school. He invited Williams to Stanford's June camp, where the cornerback with a 4.4 GPA showed well. Williams applied for early admission, was accepted, and earned a preferred walk-on offer from Anderson.
"I took some time deciding that, and once I decided Stanford is where I want to be I decided to go ahead with it," Williams said. "I was looking at a couple Ivies for football and USC just for school. What I took the time deciding after he offered me the preferred walk-on spot was if playing football in college was something I was ready for and wanted to do. Once I decided that it was an easy choice to make."
Williams chose to attend Stanford and join the program after only one visit, the June camp. He took a tour of The Farm and football facilities while he was there and "fell in love with all of it."
When he wasn't in awe of the campus, he was working on the field and finding a rhythm doing what the Stanford coaches asked in drills. It was a "positive experience" for Williams, who quickly learned what he was being shown in the camp and took it back with him to Brophy Prep.
His dedication to understand every task and try to master it originates from his parents, who don't allow him to approach one of his responsibilities with less effort than any other.
"Something that my parents focus on is me being a complete person," he said. "My parents always stressed to me the importance of doing well in the classroom along with whatever sport I'm doing. Also, as a man in the community and with my friends and with my family."
In addition to track and football, and handling a heavy course load, Williams said he was proud to write in his application about his participation in two school organizations.
"This year, and last year as well, I have been the head of my school's Black Student Union," he said. "That was really a positive experience for me. When I was a freshman and sophomore my older brother helped run that group. It has been good for me to go through that all four years."
He also took part in a mentoring program that helped younger students adapt to high school through their first semester. A packed schedule never bothered Williams.
"It was a pleasure spending time with those things," he said.
Maxpreps only lists 16 games in two varsity seasons for Williams, who recorded 74 total tackles at corner during those games. What Williams embraced about playing the sport was that no matter how bad a day he was experiencing there were 10 other teammates on the field counting on him.
While college football is a very different world, he doesn't expect what he values about football to change.
"It's a challenge that I'm ready for," he said. "It is still going to have those some aspects of teamwork and camaraderie on top of all the challenges and rewards that come with playing football at a high level."
Even though he wasn't able to attend admit weekend because of a school obligation, he already knows many of the incoming freshmen -- walk-on and scholarship -- through group text conversations.
"I think it has been great, honestly," he said. "To get to know some of these guys -- it's just text messaging mostly -- but getting a glimpse of who they are gets me more excited for that report date in July. They all seem like great guys."
