It has been a long, meandering road to Friday’s home opener for the Saskatchewan Roughriders’ Deontai Williams.
“I’ve got a lot of mixed emotions going on right now,” he said leading up to his looming CFL regular-season debut.
“I’m just grateful that I get to play football again. My family’s in town and they get to watch me play, so I’m just going to enjoy this moment.”
Williams is to start against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in place of veteran cornerback Nic Marshall, who injured a shoulder in Sunday’s season-opening, 17-13 victory over the host Edmonton Elks.
For Williams, the first game of professional football would be a milestone under any circumstances. But this one is extra-special in light of the backstory and the perseverance that has allowed him to reach this point.
“It’s just the road that I had to go through to play in this game,” reflected Williams, 26, who is from Jacksonville, Fla.
“When I started off, I had to stay with my coach because my mom was struggling. I didn’t get the grades. I was offered (scholarships) by all the Division I colleges, but I had to go to JuCo (junior college). Then I tore my ACL (knee ligament) in JuCo and I had to stay another year.
“I had all my offers dropped before signing day and Nebraska ended up taking me late — at 2 o’clock in the morning. I got injured a couple of times at Nebraska.
“It’s just a whole bunch of trials and tribulations that I had to go through in this game.
“I just love it and I enjoy being here. You’re going to see it (tonight) — just being out here and being blessed to play the game.”
A safety at Nebraska, the 6-foot-1, 205-pounder registered six interceptions, 15 pass knockdowns, 122 defensive tackles (including 6½ for a loss), three forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries (including one that was returned for a touchdown) while playing for the Cornhuskers from 2018 to 2021.
He earned honourable-mention All-Big Ten distinction after the 2020 and 2021 seasons. As a senior, he registered four interceptions in eight games, but missed four other contests with a knee injury.
In April of 2022, Williams signed with the Seattle Seahawks as an undrafted free agent. The son of former NFL defensive back Roosevelt Williams posted seven defensive tackles over three pre-season games with Seattle before being released on the final cutdown day (Aug. 30).
The Roughriders announced the signing of Williams on Jan. 7.
“He’s a good football player,” Head Coach Craig Dickenson said. “He came in right away during camp and showed that he could compete. He’s a relatively young guy, but he has played a lot of good football.
“It’ll be a fun game for him. He’s had a good camp. He deserved an opportunity to make the team and he did. Now he’s being given an opportunity to play a little more.”
It is an opportunity to be cherished and seized.
“If you have a dream, just continue to follow through,” Williams said. “Never give up. Never quit.
“It might not come at the time that you want it to come, but it’s going to come. You’ve just got to be prepared and ready when it is time for you to step up.
“My time is here. My time is now.”
