Steven Williams II spent much of his childhood questioning if football was the sport for him. With a father who played football at North Carolina Central and a mother who loved basketball, athletics surrounded him—but Williams gravitated toward artistic hobbies.

His father encouraged him to try football, hoping it would get him outside. At first, Williams struggled with confidence. Coaches reinforced his doubts, telling him he was too small, too slow, and lacked football IQ.

Despite the discouragement from his coaches, Williams grew to love the sport thanks to the encouragement of his family. Determined to prove himself, he transferred schools in hopes of finding support and building both his skills and confidence. Still, he knew playing college football as a 5’9”, 225-pound defensive end would be a challenge.

“I was looking at the statistics for my position group,” Williams says. “Those numbers range anywhere from 6’2” to 6’5” and 240-plus pounds. As a stubborn kid, I didn’t care about any of that. I liked to compete, so to me, it was just another challenge.”

That persistence eventually caught the attention of Butler Assistant Football Coach Adam Sawicki, who recruited Williams relentlessly.

“The coaching staff was my saving grace,” Williams says. “When I visited Butler, I fell in love right off the bat. They showed me love and they had confidence in me—that’s all you want to hear.”

Butler has given Williams more than just a football career. On the close-knit campus, he has thrived as a self-described “social introvert,” balancing athletics, academics, internships, study abroad, fraternity life as an Omega Psi Phi, and personal growth.

Now in his final season with the Bulldogs, Williams is focused on leaving a legacy built on hard work and resilience.

“Regardless of what happens, I want to know that I did it. And to everyone who said it couldn’t be done, thank you for the motivation,” Williams says. “I want to be a role model for the younger guys. I was told I had nothing to provide to this game, but through hard work, dedication, and trusting myself, I was able to make something out of nothing.”