Tennessee Football: Justin WIlliams-Thomas announces transfer destination
Former Tennessee freshman running back Justin Williams-Thomas has committed to Stanford. He announced the decision on social media on Tuesday morning. The 6-foot, 210-pound Williams-Thomas appeared in three games for the Vols this season, rushing 11 times for 37 yards.
He announced his intentions to enter the NCAA Transfer Portal on Twitter on December 4, releasing a statement addressing the decision:
“First off, I want to thank God for blessing me with all the opportunities that he has given me and my family.
“I would like to thank Coach Heupel, Coach Mack and the entire Tennessee staff for giving me an opportunity to play at the next level! To all my teammates thank you for all the memories and good times we shared together and the opportunity to grow together as brothers. I will definitely miss you all!
“To Vol Nation, this year was great! I would not trade it for anything, thank you guys for all the love and support you showed me through our ups and downs this year! You all are truly the best! After much prayer, consideration and discussion with my family, I will be entering the transfer portal on December 5th! My recruitment is open. I have four years of eligibility left. Joshua 1:9 “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go. — Thank You Vol Nation”
Williams-Thomas had three rushes for six yards against Ball State in the season opener on September 1. He had five carries for 22 yards in the 63-6 win over Akron on September 17 and had three carries for nine yards against UT Martin on October 22.
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He was a four-star prospect in the 2022 recruiting class, picking Tennessee over Auburn. He was ranked No. 235 overall in the On3 Consensus, was the No. 16 running back in the class and the No. 27 overall prospect out of the state of Georgia, where he attended East Paulding High School in Dallas, Ga.
Williams-Thomas was the second running back from the Vols to enter the portal, alongside redshirt sophomore Len’Neth Whitehead.
Sophomore Jaylen Wright led the Vols in rushing yards this season, running for 786 yards. Junior Jabari Small led the team in rush attempts, with 144, and touchdowns, 12, to go with his 696 rush yards. Freshman Dylan Sampson rushed 58 times for 397 yards and six touchdowns.
