TE Jalen Williams At Home With USF

            In the end, there was no need to wait for more scholarship offers or take other official visits.

            On June 6, Bloomington South (Ind.) tight end Jalen Williams officially visited South Florida. And before the weekend was over, he’d given the Bulls his commitment.

            Williams chose USF over offers from Pittsburgh, Colorado State, Western Michigan, Ohio and Bowling Green. In his mind, he didn’t need other plans, though.

            “I committed to USF because of the people, the environment and development with Coach (Jack) Taylor and Coach (Justin) Stolberg. Coming from never playing tight end to having to play it in college, I know I have to be somewhere I can develop and learn the position. Every time I step foot in the bay it feels like home.”

            Williams said he believes Taylor is the ideal coach to learn from. And then there’s Taylor’s personality and competitiveness.

            “Coach Taylor is a great guy, he’s full of energy and he knows so much about the tight end position,” Williams said. “He came to our home for dinner and showed up the next day for my college day at (Bloomington) South. He has really shown me how much he is about this program and how he’s ready to develop me into the best tight end I can be for this program.”

            This spring, Williams took unofficial visits to Texas A&M, Ohio State, Alabama, Tennessee and Miami. Though no offers came, it gave him a peek into the blue bloods of the sport. And he felt the Bulls had everything he looked for.

            “When I first got down to Tampa and saw campus, I was like, ‘yeah, this is it,’” Williams said. “The vibe was crazy – in a good way. The weather, the energy, everything just felt right. It had that big-time feel, but still felt like a place I could call home.

            “The campus was super nice and the facilities were top tier. But honestly, it was more than just football. I could see myself living there, going to class, just being a student and an athlete. Tampa’s a cool city, too. There’s a lot going on but it doesn’t feel overwhelming.”

            Williams is one USF’s two tight ends in the 2026 class. He joins Mary Montgomery (Ala.) tight end Damarcus Broughton, who also committed on his June 6 official visit with the Bulls.