Sleeper gets huge first offer

Anyone who saw three-star defensive end Brent Williams (6-3, 203, 4.7) from Woodland Hills (Calif.) Taft on the camp circuit this summer knew that it was just a matter of time before he would start getting his offers and that time has come. Williams received his first scholie opportunity earlier today and it came from a Pac 10 school.

At every camp that Williams attended this spring and summer, he stood out. William schooled recruits that had multiple offers on the one-on-ones. His first step made him unstoppable.

Williams talks about his offer.

"I received an offer today from Washington," Williams said. "I was sitting in class when my teammate came into my summer school class and told me 'Coach K (Taft head coach Matt Kersitetter) wants to see you. I think you have an offer.'

"I was pretty excited and said okay," Williams said. "My teacher said to wait until the lecture was over and let me leave a little early and Coach K said to me 'congratulations.'

"Coach told me he just got off the phone with (Washington head coach) Coach Steve Sarkisian and we just went crazy from there," Williams said. "I called my mom and I called my uncle.

"I almost teared up," Williams said. "It just felt like all that work paid off.

"During the spring recruiting process," Williams said. "It was kind of funny because Washington was the only call I received.

"I went to camps, but the only official call I received was from Washington," Williams said. "I received a call from Coach (Jimmie) Dougherty and he wanted me to go to camp, but I couldn't arrange that so I never was able to go to their camp.

"I talked to them two weeks ago and he was actually telling me wait until the third game of my season then make a highlight tape and send it to him," Williams said. "Then we will see what happens from there.

"Washington was on my list and I talked to them off and on, but it wasn't like really a consistent thing," Williams said. "Today they really surprised me with an offer.

"This is my first offer and it was ironic," Williams said. "I'm just very happy about the offer. I didn't expect Washington's offer, but I am truly blessed that I got it."

"I was able to talk to Coach Dougherty today, but I haven't talked to Coach Sarksian yet or Coach Nick Holt," Williams said. "Coach Sarkisian was in a meeting, but I did talk to Coach Dougherty and Coach Johnny Nansen not too long ago and it went good. I am just ecstatic about it."

Was Williams tempted to commit?

"When you get the offer at first, you want to at the moment," Williams said. "My uncle said we have to discuss it with the family. So I'll wait and talk to the family and just kind of wait it out."

One of the camps that Williams did a stellar job at was USC's camp. Could have Sarkisian's old friends at USC let him on what Williams did at their camp?

"I'm guessing from what my coach said, they heard about it (USC camp performance)," Williams said. "It made a lot of headlines.

"I first met Coach Sarkisian at the beginning of my sophomore year," Williams said. "When I came in as a quarterback/receiver/defensive end and I just ended up going to SC one day with my head coach and D.J. Morgan.

"I met Coach Sarkisian as a receiver and he told me to keep working and keep growing, then we will see" Williams said. "I met Coach Sarkisian long before he got his head coaching job.

Are any other colleges showing interest in Williams.

"UCLA has been pretty consistent over the last couple of months," Williams said. "I've been talking to UCLA a lot.

"UCLA has been the No. 1 school as far as keeping interest in me," Williams said. "Coach (Clark) Lea and I have a good relationship.

"That's pretty much it right now," Williams said. "My uncle and I will be going to UCLA practice next week.

"Tony White, of San Diego State emailed my uncle today," Williams said. "San Diego State were actually recruiting me the hardest at the beginning and them they started to slow down on me.

"I didn't know what happened," Williams said. "He (White) emailed my uncle and now they are going to start recruiting me again, but I don't know how that is going to go, but UCLA has definitely been consistent."

"I reached over 200 pounds this week," Williams said. "That was another goal I have been waiting to reach. I finally hit the 200 pound mark. I now weigh 203.

"Everything is all pouring in right now," Williams said. "It was a great day.

As a junior, Williams earned second-team all-city section and first-team all-league honors after tying his school's single season sack record with 17 and breaking the school record with 29 tackles for loss. He has chance to set the school's career record in both categories his senior season. He also racked up 59 tackles in 2008 while teams tried to avoid him.