Oklahoma State University Athletics
2026 Cowboy Football Roster
Roster

Jersey Number 8
James Williams
- Height:
- 6-5
- Class:
- Redshirt Senior
- Hometown:
- Kansas City, MO
- High School:
- Park Hill South
A 2026 addition from the transfer portal who previously played at Nebraska and Florida State.
2025 (Junior at Florida State): Played 11 games with six starts ... Contributed 19 tackles, 3.0 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks and five quarterback hurries ... Had 0.5 sacks in three of the final four games played ... Made first career start and Florida State debut against Alabama ... Had a season-high four tackles against Kent State ... Made at least one tackle in eight games and multiple stops in five games.
2024 (Sophomore at Nebraska): Played in 12 games, recording 14 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss and 5.0 sacks ... Ranked second on the team in sacks ... Set career-highs with five tackles and 2.0 sacks vs. Rutgers in 2024…also recorded 2.0 sacks at Purdue ... Added six-yard sack at Iowa in regular-season finale ...
2023 (Redshirt at Nebraska): Played in four games while redshirting in his first season at Nebraska ... Disruptive as a pass rusher, finishing with 2.0 sacks among his four tackles ... Made his FBS debut against Northwestern, posting a five-yard sack ... Had one tackle and one quarterback hurry against Purdue ... At Michigan State, finished with two tackles, including a seven-yard sack.
2022 (Freshman at Iowa Central CC): In his lone season at Iowa Central, he played 11 games and recorded 19 tackles with 6.0 sacks, 7.0 tackles for loss, two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries ... The 2022 Game One Bowl Defensive MVP ... His play helped the Triton defense limit opponents to fewer than 100 rushing yards per game.
High School: A first team all-state defensive lineman ... As a senior, he was a finalist for the Buchanan Award in addition to being named the Suburban Red Conference Defensive Player of the Year ... In his final season, he had 108 tackles, 35.0 tackles for loss and 18.0 sacks, according to MaxPreps.
Personal: He and his wife, Aleah, were married in 2026 ... Son of John Williams ... Father played on the defensive line at Oklahoma during the John Blake and Bob Stoops eras ... Studies sports media and communication.
2025 (Junior at Florida State): Played 11 games with six starts ... Contributed 19 tackles, 3.0 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks and five quarterback hurries ... Had 0.5 sacks in three of the final four games played ... Made first career start and Florida State debut against Alabama ... Had a season-high four tackles against Kent State ... Made at least one tackle in eight games and multiple stops in five games.
2024 (Sophomore at Nebraska): Played in 12 games, recording 14 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss and 5.0 sacks ... Ranked second on the team in sacks ... Set career-highs with five tackles and 2.0 sacks vs. Rutgers in 2024…also recorded 2.0 sacks at Purdue ... Added six-yard sack at Iowa in regular-season finale ...
2023 (Redshirt at Nebraska): Played in four games while redshirting in his first season at Nebraska ... Disruptive as a pass rusher, finishing with 2.0 sacks among his four tackles ... Made his FBS debut against Northwestern, posting a five-yard sack ... Had one tackle and one quarterback hurry against Purdue ... At Michigan State, finished with two tackles, including a seven-yard sack.
2022 (Freshman at Iowa Central CC): In his lone season at Iowa Central, he played 11 games and recorded 19 tackles with 6.0 sacks, 7.0 tackles for loss, two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries ... The 2022 Game One Bowl Defensive MVP ... His play helped the Triton defense limit opponents to fewer than 100 rushing yards per game.
High School: A first team all-state defensive lineman ... As a senior, he was a finalist for the Buchanan Award in addition to being named the Suburban Red Conference Defensive Player of the Year ... In his final season, he had 108 tackles, 35.0 tackles for loss and 18.0 sacks, according to MaxPreps.
Personal: He and his wife, Aleah, were married in 2026 ... Son of John Williams ... Father played on the defensive line at Oklahoma during the John Blake and Bob Stoops eras ... Studies sports media and communication.
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