Tahlequah’s Eli McWilliams set to continue career at Tulsa
TAHLEQUAH, Okla. (BVM) — With the 2021 high school football season in full swing, one of the best linebackers in Oklahoma recently made his commitment known to the world. Tahlequah linebacker Eli McWilliams will be heading to Tulsa in 2022.
Tulsa was the first offer for Tahlequah 2022 LB Eli McWilliams back on February 26th. Fast forward to today and he’s committed to the Golden Hurricane. #OKPreps https://t.co/0gkKrmoVlK
— Prep Redzone Oklahoma (@PrepRedzoneOK) June 21, 2021
“After deep thoughts and considerations, discussion with my family, and lots of prayer, I decided to pursue my degree at the University of Tulsa,” McWilliams wrote in a tweet. “I would like to thank all the coaches who showed interest in me. REIGN CANE!!”
Standing at 6-foot-4, and weighing 200 pounds, McWilliams is set to have a successful final year with the Tahlequah Tigers. Just this past season, he recorded 78 total tackles, three sacks and one interception. And one of his best games came when it mattered the most.
Facing Tulsa Edison in the first round of the Class 5A playoffs, McWilliams made his presence known to college recruiters. He recorded 11 tackles (2 for loss) in the Tigers’ 34-29 victory. The Tigers would eventually lose in the second round, but nonetheless, it was a successful season for the team and McWilliams.
“I love playing linebacker and I love to play physical,” McWilliams said in an interview with Sports Illustrated last year. “I just started playing linebacker this season and I know that I kind of play… like you said I play ‘see ball, get ball.'”
Not only is McWilliams eager to help the Tigers win a state championship, but when he joins Tulsa, he’ll aim to help the Golden Hurricane football program improve upon its 2020 season. Tulsa finished with an overall record of 6-3 and made an American Athletic Conference (AAC) championship game appearance against No. 6 Cincinnati. Along with a 6-3 record, Tulsa gave up 21.6 points per game last season according to college football reference. With the addition of McWilliams, Tulsa will surely improve its defensive ranking in 2022.
