Pooka Williams was once one of the most electric players to ever put on a Kansas football uniform. Where is he playing now?
Watching Kansas football before this past year was a painful task. From 2011 to 2021, they came out victorious in just 20 ballgames. However, one of the few shining stars was running back Pooka Williams.
The 5’10”, 170-pound speedster from New Orleans did not look like he belonged on a football field, except to return kicks or punts. He was undersized and a raw talent. But as a freshman, Williams took the conference by storm rather quickly. His emergence as the team’s starting running back forced Khalil Herbert to transfer, who led the NFL is yards per carry last season — he was a special talent.
Pooka took no time to make an impact, recording 288 rushing yards in the first two games of 2018 en route to a pair of victories. He recorded double-digit carries in the 11 games he played and was a living human highlight reel. Perhaps no running back Kansas has ever seen was as elusive as he.
Pooka Williams Jr., human or cheat code? pic.twitter.com/d468cmnuZi
— Derek Duke (@DerekDuke25) October 5, 2019
Although his career as a Jayhawk abruptly ended after a legal dispute, he was able to sign a professional contract with the Cincinnati Bengals and returned three kickoffs for them. Fans will never forget the joy that Pooka Williams brought them, whether it be his 252 rushing yard game versus Oklahoma or the game-winning catch and run to defeat TCU.
So, where is Pooka now? He currently plays for the DC Defenders of the XFL. An NFL return could still be in store, but for now, he will look to make a difference in a new professional football league.
At the moment, Williams has two games under his belt, recording one carry for -1 yards. After transitioning to a wide receiver with the Bengals, he is back to his original position.
It is not the promising career we envisioned for him after winning Big 12 Freshman of the Year. He was supposed to be the savior of Kansas football. However, he still signed a contract and made plenty of money, so his career did not entirely flop.