Jesse Williams, gridiron star

Jesse Williams Photo: Mike Curtain

Jesse Williams has set the American college football scene on fire.

In just 18 months, he’s gone from a newcomer to the number one defensive player in the country. More than a dozen colleges wanted him for the 2011 US football season.

Jesse’s signed with, and enrolled at, the University of Alabama. He’s now a member of the university’s famous Crimson Tide team, as well as studying consumer science, international business and sports management.

It’s a long way in a very short time for a boy from Brisbane.

Jesse, 20, actually comes from a basketball-mad family, and that’s what he played for most of his school years. There was a smattering of rugby league but his move into American football was almost an accident.

“The older brother of a mate … was a quarterback with Bayside Ravens (in Brisbane),” Jesse said. “He thought I’d be good at protecting him. I went along to have a look — and never looked back”.

At 18, Jesse signed with Arizona Western College and spent his first two seasons playing for their team. He fast-tracked his study, completing a two-year course in 18 months, which allowed him to enrol at the University of Alabama on a mid-year entry at the start of this year.

He’s trimmed down a little for his new team — from 151kg down to 145kg — but is aiming to keep his slot at defensive tackle, the biggest of the defensive positions.

The 2011 season kicks off in September and already the fans are excited. A training match between the offensive and defensive packs drew 93,000 spectators. Check the Crimson Tide website —everyone knows Jesse.

Jesse attributes his success to “positive attitude, determination, my training ethic — knowing there is someone else who is working harder than me to achieve their dreams makes me work harder and train harder to be the best”.

He has some large shoes to fill. Great grandfather Ali Drummond was NAIDOC Elder of the year last year.