Oregon will keep the Williams family close to the program in 2023. Evan Williams, a former Fresno State safety and brother to former Duck Bennett Williams, announced his commitment to Oregon on Tuesday.

Bennett started all 13 games for the Ducks in 2022, closing out his final season of college ball as one of the leaders of the defense. Now, it could be Evan who steps into a significant role in the back end of that same defense. He has just one year of eligibility remaining.

Williams was one of two primary captains on Fresno State’s 2022 team, which made FBS history by becoming the first to open a season 1-4 and end it 10-4. Williams was a key force in the turnaround. He was injured early in the season in a loss to USC and forced to miss four games.

The 6-foot safety returned to play a significant role down the stretch as Fresno State ended on a nine-game winning streak to secure both a Mountain West Championship and an LA Bowl victory.

In spite of the missed time, Williams finished with 66 tackles, four pass breakups, and a sack. He finished third on the team in tackles, just one behind the Bulldogs’ second-leading tackler. For his efforts, Williams was named to the All-Mountain West Second Team.

In 2021, Williams had a team-leading 90 tackles as well as a team-best three interceptions. He added four pass breakups, two fumble recoveries, and a forced fumble to earn a first-team All-Mountain West nod. Williams was an honorable mention all-conference pick during Fresno State’s six-game 2020 campaign, finishing with 27 tackles and a forced fumble. He was an immediate contributor as a freshman, playing in all 12 games (with five starts) and finishing seventh on the defense with 40 tackles.