Williams commits to University of Idaho

"It's always been a dream to go to college," Williams said. "There is nothing in the world I love more than football. I want to be an academic all-American, that's my goal. It's a dream come true."

The University of Idaho, a Division I school located in Moscow, Idaho, and a member of the Sun Belt Conference, just completed a 3-9 campaign. Williams said the Vandals are joining the Western Athletic Conference next season.

Idaho beat out other Division I schools Fresno State, Oregon and UCLA and Division I-AA schools Portland State and Sacramento State. Williams (6 foot 2 inches, 228 pounds) said he will play either linebacker or "H"-back - a hybrid running back/receiver position.

He said he chose the Vandals because "the coaches and team made you feel like family. I went to other schools and it was just impersonal."

There was also the chance to come in and play right way. Williams said the Vandals started 15 "true" freshmen last season — players in their first year out of high school — the most of any Division I program.

"They were the only Division I school that said I'd have a chance to play (right away)," Williams said.

Williams spent three years living in a tough Vallejo neighborhood. He had a childhood friend killed by gunfire and his house was a constant target of burglaries. His mother died of cervical cancer in 2001 and Williams moved in with his aunt in San Mateo before his freshman year of high school. Since then, the nickname "Big-Play Eddie" has been bestowed on a player who has a knack of coming up with the big play when the game is on the line. He scored nine touchdowns in seven Peninsula Athletic League Bay Division games, came up with a game-clinching fumble recovery against Serra in the first round of the Central Coast Section playoffs and caught four passes for 80 yards against Los Gatos in the CCS semifinals.

Aragon coach Steve Sell said it was satisfying to see a person like Williams get a chance to not only play football in college, but get to go to college, period.

"To see a kid with his background … most people probably gave him a slim chance of graduating high school," Sell said. "Seeing him on film is one thing. When you see him (in person) you're impressed and when you talk to him you're even more impressed."

In the past, Sell said Williams has the maturity of a 30 year old. He believes that maturity will help Williams at the next level.

"He'll graduate, he won't embarrass your program and he's coachable," Sell said.