After signing the overwhelming majority of its class during the early signing period in December, the Ducks had few holes to fill as they look to round out their 2019 recruiting class at the onset of the February signing period.

However, the one area that did need some addressing was defensive line, and in particular, nose guard. Despite signing four defensive linemen during the early signing period, the Ducks had yet to find a player who truly fit the bill as a presence up the middle.

That all changed Wednesday when Memphis (Tenn.) Southwind three-star prospect Kristian Williams pledged his commitment to Oregon following his official visit to Eugene two weeks ago.

Williams, a former Minnesota commit, joins five-star recruit Kayvon Thibodeaux, four-star commit Keyon Ware-Hudson, and three-star prospects Sua’ava Poti and Brandon Dorlus as the Oregon defensive linemen currently pledged to the Ducks’ 2019 class. Oddly enough, Williams is also the second former Minnesota verbal commitment to flip to Oregon this cycle, joining three-star kicker Camden Lewis.

With Williams now in the fold, Oregon currently boasts the nation’s no. 7-ranked class per 247Sports’ Composite Team Rankings.

Below we take a closer look at Williams’ game, examining his weaknesses and strengths, as well as projecting how he may make an impact for the Ducks when he ultimately arrives on campus.

Notable weaknesses:

• Needs to improve strength at point of attack: At this stage in his development, Williams is more athlete than he is brute. This isn’t an entirely bad thing, as the athletic gifts he possesses are things that simply cannot be taught, but he will need to work on his strength and improve his consistency getting off blocks in order to effectively reach his potential at the next level.
• Doesn’t have great length: If there’s one knock on Williams that is beyond his control it’s that he isn’t blessed with great length. This hinders his ability to play with leverage and still impact the game without being in ideal position. It’s not a deal breaker given the position he plays, but it does ultimately limit his perceived upside.

Notable strengths:

• Athletic, agile defender: Listed at 6-foot-3 and 297 pounds, Williams’ size belies his impressive athleticism and agility. He’s a big man who is light on his feet and capable of changing direction and making plays outside of where he normally operates as a defensive tackle. Saw action as both an offensive tackle and defensive end at the high school level, which speaks to his versatility and athletic prowess.
• Great quickness: Similar to current Oregon nose guard Jordon Scott, Williams displays impressive quickness once the ball is snapped. His ability to get out of his stance and out-quick opposing offensive linemen leaps off the screen, and is a common trait shared among the most impactful interior defensive linemen in football.
• Plays nasty: Williams’ mean streak is actually on greater display when he’s receiving reps as an offensive lineman, but regardless, it’s a part of his game that stands out when evaluating him on tape. This approach should serve Williams well as Ducks head coach Mario Cristobal continues to emphasize toughness and a dominant mentality in the trenches.

Overall outlook:

The Oregon coaching staff has not been shy about targeting defensive linemen during the 2019 recruiting cycle, and in Kristian Williams, the Ducks have landed another another intriguing talent for defensive line coach Joe Salave’a to mold. Given his size and style of play, it’s fairly safe to assume that Williams will get his first crack at nose guard, where he’ll vie with Sione Kava and Popo Aumavae for backup reps behind the entrenched Jordon Scott. However, don’t be surprised to see Williams redshirt this upcoming season in order to work on his body and acclimate to the college game. With a year of maturation under his belt, Williams has the athletic attributes to develop into a true force that is capable of anchoring what could be a young, yet talented defensive line in 2020.