Finishing the season as the second-leading tackler amongst sophomores in all classes with 84, Christian Williams Christian Williams 5'11" | 190 lbs | ATH/LB Van Meter | 2028 State IA was a relentless force on behalf of central Iowa powerhouse, Van Meter this fall.

Bursting onto the scene after growing an inch and gaining 25 pounds between his freshman and sophomore seasons, Williams was one of the more impactful two-way players in the state. Not only did he finish as the team’s leading tackler on the same squad as Northern Iowa signee, Tate Doggett Tate Doggett 6'2" | 210 lbs | LB Van Meter | 2026 State IA , Williams was the leading rusher on the ground for the Bulldogs, taking 208 carries for 1,054 yards and 16 scores.

He may not be the athletic freak or massively imposing physical presence that some teams look for at the next level, but Williams’ constant ball-pursuit and aggressive running style have the feel of molding the perfect, small-school linebacker that feasts at a place like UNI or another FCS program in the Midwest.

Van Meter ran into a buzz saw in the state championship game with Kuemper Catholic. It didn’t dim the rising star in Williams, however. He flashed ability on both sides of the ball during the state semis and final in the UNI-Dome. He produced 10.0 tackles, an interception and a tackle for loss in the title game. Against previously unbeaten Osage in the semifinal, he rushed for 94 yards and two scores with 10.0 tackles and another TFL. Williams rushed for over 1,000 yards and 16 scores while being a threat as a receiver out of the backfield this year. He had 84.0 tackles (8.0 TFL, 2.5 sacks) and two picks. Williams could end up playing running back on the next level. He shows good vision, cutting ability and burst. Those traits also work well on defense, where he could be develop into a hybrid safety-linebacker with coverage skills and knack for supporting the run. Adding strength this offseason will be a priority.

One of few players that could muster much of anything on the offensive side of the ball between Van Meter and Osage, Christian Williams Christian Williams 5'11" | 190 lbs | ATH/LB Van Meter | 2028 State IA didn’t set the world on fire by any means last Saturday, but he did just enough to seal the deal for the Bulldogs.

A running back that plays the same way he does when he lines up at linebacker on defense, Williams is ready to earn every single yard he gets, and that’s exactly what he did on both of his scoring rushes of one and two yards. Pounding the rock up the middle, Williams took on would-be tacklers and wouldn’t be denied, powering his way into the endzone for the score.

The second-leading tackler on defense, too, Williams added ten tackles to Doggett’s 12, making for a feared combo in the middle of the Van Meter defense.

Williams is off to a fast start as a sophomore on the Van Meter varsity, which is saying something in a program annually filled with talented student-athletes. He’s rushed 39 times for 176 yards and a touchdown, and added three receptions for 30 yards. He shows off speed and power in this pickup off of a screen pass. Williams has contributed on the other side of the ball, too. His 30.0 tackles through three games put him among the team leaders. Williams has 15 solo stops and a tackle for loss. He’s preparing himself to succeed and is firmly on the radar as a prospect to monitor moving forward.