Texas’ 2025 recruiting class was among the nation’s best, led by Jonah Williams, the top safety in the cycle and one of the top overall recruits. However, Williams has yet to make his debut for the Longhorns as he continues to deal with a hamstring injury. Here’s what to know about his status heading into Texas’s Week 3 matchup against UTEP.
Jonah Williams Update: Texas Safety’s Status Ahead of UTEP Game
Texas fans have been eagerly awaiting Jonah Williams’ college football debut. He was a consensus five-star recruit in the 2025 class, with 247Sports ranking him as the No. 1 safety and the No. 6 overall player in the cycle.
Not only is Williams an uber-talented football player, but he also committed to the Longhorns as a baseball player. He already played a season for Texas last spring, appearing in 20 games and earning 15 starts as the team’s outfielder.
However, the young safety has been dealing with a hamstring injury throughout fall camp, which kept him from playing in the team’s season opener against the Ohio State Buckeyes.
On September 4, 2025, Bobby Burton, who hosts the “On Texas Football” YouTube channel, reported that Williams returned to practice in the week before the Longhorns’ matchup against San Jose State on September 6 and was expected to play in that game.
Jonah Williams is back on the practice field and the five-star DB could see action as soon as this weekend. #HookEm
— Bobby Burton (@BobbyBurtonOTF) September 4, 2025
However, that wasn’t the case, as Williams was once again sidelined. Many expected the Longhorns’ week three matchup against UTEP to be the game where he would finally make his debut, but that now seems unlikely.
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According to Anwar Richardson, a writer for Orangebloods.com, Williams is expected to miss the game against UTEP and could be sidelined for additional games. Richardson also noted that head coach Steve Sarkisian isn’t likely to fast-track his recovery.
“Based on my conversations this week, I would be surprised if we saw Texas freshman safety Jonah Williams anytime soon,” Richardson reported. “He is still recovering, and Sarkisian is not going to rush him back until he is ready to fully participate.”
Update: Texas Safety Jonah Williams is unlikely to play against UTEP and in the near future. The Talented Two-Sport Freshman is still recovering from a hamstring injury.
“Based on my conversations this week, I would be surprised if we saw Texas freshman safety Jonah Williams… pic.twitter.com/PwTqj3b6Hy
— Orangebloods.com (@orangebloods_) September 12, 2025
While Williams would be a significant addition to the Longhorns’ secondary, he wasn’t expected to start this season because Texas already has plenty of veteran talent and depth at safety. Allowing him to fully heal is a smart move by Sarkisian, as Williams will be a key piece of Texas’s defense for the foreseeable future.
Williams is poised to be a terrific player once fully healthy, but for now, it appears the Longhorns will have to continue without him. Texas faces UTEP on Saturday, September 13, 2025, at 4:15 p.m. ET with coverage on the SEC Network.
