Imagine the heartbreak of thinking you're qualified to play Division-I football coming out of high school, only to be denied the opportunity because one class was not accepted by the NCAA.
Such is the plight of West Hills (California) Junior College safety Deionte Williams. Williams, who played his high school football at the famed Miami Northwestern, is now fully qualified and looking for an opportunity at the Division-I level.
"I had another great year at West Hills," Williams began. "I had over 50 tackles, two fumble recoveries and one interception. I think I had a better year this year than I did last year. I'm ready to move on to the next level. My highlight film is on Youtube, on Scout and Rivals, and people can see for themselves."
Williams, 6-foot-2, 195-pounds, was timed at 4.51 in the forty-yard dash at the JCFootball.com combine held last May. Heading into his senior season of high school he was one of the top-rated defensive backs in Florida.
"My problem started when I transferred from Krop High School to Northwestern," he explained. "There was a class I took at Krop that they put me into that didn't count on my transcript. That left me a half credit short, and that's why I had to go to West Hills Junior College. I had a lot of schools looking at me before we found out I would not be qualified."
Following two standout seasons, Williams is hoping to get back on the radar of college recruiters.
"Right now, I've heard from a few schools like Toledo, Bowling Green, Indiana and Marshall," he stated. "I'm just hoping someone will bring me in on a visit and get to know me as a person. I'm ready to play Division-I football and it doesn't matter where. I just want a shot to prove myself. I feel I'm a great cover person at safety, and I can also play the run. I am fully qualified as a student and I am ready to go. I will have three years left to play two. All I need is a chance and I will prove myself as a student and as a football player."