We would like to welcome our next Diamond In The Rough to Gridiron, Maddox Williams, a 6’2, 280-pound 2027 Defensive Tackle out of Mangham High School. With a 3.2 GPA, Williams originally started on the offensive line, then moved to defense, and has made such a difference for Mangham. His goals for this coming season are to lead his team to an undefeated season, win their district, and make their way to the Louisiana Superdome for championships. Skill-wise, he is a force in the middle of the defense with great hands, footwork, and power. He has a tremendous ability to penetrate the line and get to the quarterback, and can also get to the outside with his speed if he has to. Racking up three sacks and ten total tackles his junior year, he is looking to be that guy on the Mangham defensive line this season.
Here is my interview with Maddox Williams:
What has your football journey been like? At what age did you start playing football, and what inspired you to play football?
I didn’t start playing football until around sixth grade, so middle school. My grandfather inspired me to play football because he would tell me a lot of his football stories, and I just grew off of it.
Who have been some of the biggest influences in your journey? Family members, coaches, teammates, etc?
Definitely my head coach. Ever since my freshman year, he’s really taken me to another level, coaching me hard, and to the best of his abilities. He is why I am able to play the way I can today.
How would you describe the football culture at your school, community, and in Louisiana?
I’d say you just have to be ready to play, be at the right place at the right time, and know your job and what you have to do.
Do you have a core memory of when you first started playing in middle school?
In middle school, I didn’t really start until my eighth-grade year, so we went undefeated that year. A memorable moment for me was when I sacked the quarterback for the first time.
Did you always want to play Defensive Tackle, or did you have another position in mind at first?
In my freshman year, I played on the offensive line, but I knew I wanted to play on the defensive line because I love hitting people. I feel like I have that mindset and want to hit the quarterback.
What’s something about your game that you think separates you from other players at your position?
I think what separates me is the grind I have to go through to make it to the college level, or maybe even the NFL.
What parts of your game do you feel like have improved the most over the years, and what would you like to improve on?
Some things that I have improved on since my freshman year are my footwork, techniques, and just how I play the game. I can tell you for sure, this past season, I was starting, but towards the middle of the season, I didn’t get to start. We had ten games, and going into game eight, that’s when the coach gave me the opportunity to start, and I’ve been hungry ever since.
Walk me through your preparation during a typical game day.
Go to school, take care of my schoolwork, and then we have a pep rally in the last hour. Everybody does their own thing for about an hour and a half, starting at around 3:30, and then we go to our coaches, talk to them, and watch film. Then we get everything ready, get taped up, and skill position and special team players go out to warm up. They come back, everyone gets their pads on, we go through our full warm-up, and then we start the game.
How do you stay motivated during the offseason when the spotlight is not on you all the time?
I would definitely say, trying to change the way I eat because not every single thing I have been eating is healthy, so I’m trying to eat healthier and drink a lot more water, stay hydrated, things like that, and then just try to get work in every single day, even if it’s a little bit.
What have been some of the toughest challenges you faced over the years of playing thus far?
Like I said, coming into my junior year, I thought I was going to start every game, and I thought I was putting in the work, but my head coach told me I needed to take a little step back so I wouldn’t start every game, but towards the end of the season, he took a chance on me, and I always want to be one of the people who lead us to the Superdome.
What was playing in the Louisiana Superdome like?
I was very nervous at first because it was obviously my first time playing in an NFL stadium. I was ready to play though, and even though we lost by two points, I’m very hungry to get back there this year. My goals are going undefeated, winning the district, and going back to the dome and winning this year.
How would you describe yourself as a leader to your teammates?
Being a good teammate, making sure that if anybody needs someone to talk to, they can come talk to me, and making sure everyone is successful. If they need help with football plays, they can ask me.
When people look back at your high school career, what do you hope they say about you as a player and person?
I hope they saw that I just wanted to play football, and that I wanted to make it to the big leagues.
Did you play any other sports when you were younger, or do you do any others now?
In middle school, I played football, basketball, and track, but now I’m just playing football and track. I am doing track just to keep myself in shape.
What about other family members? Did they do any sports?
One of my brothers plays football, basketball, and track. My brother, who’s in the same high school as me, plays football and runs track, just like me. My other brother just plays basketball.
What was the Monroe Gridiron Football Elite Camp experience like?
It was my first camp, so I was just trying to get exposure. I was just trying to get my name out there, and I ended up being good enough to get into the Gridiron All-American Bowl Game just for an extra game at the end of the season, so that was a big step for me.
What were some of your biggest takeaways from it? What is something you learned the most?
It was really the techniques that I learned. I was able to work on my football that day. The environment was great, the coaches were great, just really everyone wanted to come and learn, and get better.
What camps do you plan on attending in the future?
I plan on attending the next two Gridiron camps, Rosepine and Albany. Then I plan on going to the one at Grambling State.
What has the recruitment process been like for you? Any offers? Are you getting in contact with any coaches?
No coaches have really talked to me, but I am looking to change that at the Gridiron camps.
Is there a specific college or colleges you have in mind that you want to play for?
Well, my dream college is definitely LSU, but my head coach was talking to a couple of community colleges, so hopefully their head coaches will talk to me.
If you were to tell Lane Kiffin right now why he should recruit you, what would you tell him?
I would tell him, I’m trying to be the best player I can be, just being a great teammate and just play my best ball.
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