Wake Forest Athletics
Relentless Pursuit: Jaboree Williams Inspiring Journey to X-League MVP
2/25/2022 8:00:00 AM | Football
Former Demon Deacons linebacker Jaboree Williams has traveled the country and world to find happiness and success, on and off the field.
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After graduating from Wake Forest and finishing his football career with a team-high 11 tackles in a Belk Bowl victory over Texas A&M, linebacker Jaboree Williams took a shot at an NFL career.
Picked up as an undrafted free agent by the Philadelphia Eagles, Williams made it through rookie minicamp and then fall camp before being cut.
After joining a team in the Alliance of American Football, the league was unable to complete a full season before being disbanded. He joined an XFL roster only to see it suffer the same fate. Next up was the Oakland Panthers in the Indoor Football League. Unfortunately COVID-19 ended that season as well for the recent Demon Deacon grad.
Battling through multiple bouts of depression, Williams was on the verge of giving up competitive football and had accepted a graduate assistant position at Northern Illinois.
But Williams got a call from Wake Forest director of recruiting Chris Coulter. Both are Florida natives and had built a strong connection during Williams' four years in the program.
"Man, I know somebody who's willing to do anything to play ball again," Coulter said when asked if he knew of anyone willing to play professional football in Japan.
"Yeah, sure. I'll talk to him," Williams told Coulter when he called. "You know, I'm open to anything."
In his first full season in the X-League in Japan, Williams won the Most Valuable Player award, contributing eight sacks, four blocked punts, two blocked field goals, a dozen tackles for loss, two interceptions and two forced fumbles.
"I just had a really great year," Williams said. "I'm really grateful and thankful because it's a pass-heavy league. Teams really don't run the ball. So, for the benefit of the team, I actually converted to an edge rusher. I mean, I was always good at blitzing and everything.
"So first year as an edge rusher, really kind of just going off my athleticism and knowing how to pass rush, from learning in college from the under Coach (Dave) Cohen. We got into the championship, but lost by four points. So the season didn't go perfectly. But I won MVP and I'm thankful. That was my journey over this past year or so. I still live there. We're going back for another season. It's just been a great opportunity and I'm thankful to be honest."
It's an amazing career arch for Williams, who was ready to give up competitive football until the call from Coulter.
"If this doesn't work out, I'm done with football," he told himself. "Hey, I'll give it one last try before I tie this thing up and just let it go. And, it's been one of the best decisions I've ever made."
After being cut by the Eagles Williams faced a long period of depression, which resurfaced as he dealt with the abrupt endings within the AAF and XFL.
"I was in a state of depression," Williams said. "I only had my mother, my friends and family, but they really made no difference at that point because I was in a hole within myself.
"When am I going to get a chance?" wondered Williams, hounding himself.
"I feel like I just never got a fair chance," Williams said. "And truthfully, I just kept going. I told myself that I will never give up. I'll just go, and go, and go, until I can't anymore. I was just locked in. I figured that at some point my opportunity would come and I'll actually be able to ball out and do everything I dreamed of doing."
He blamed God for his plight, then turned to God to help dig out of the depression.
"I was raised in the church, so I knew what I had to do to get out of that depression phase," Williams said. "I knew that I had to get on my knees and ask God to be with me.
"But God had to teach me a lesson about having perseverance, and just trusting him and trusting his will, trusting his plan, whatever he has for me. So it was really kind of a test. I failed the test at first, but then I came around and I passed the test. And that was really it.
Williams credits his faith for digging out of his depression and helping him find success in the X-League.
"I never cut corners, I did things the right way," Williams said. "And I felt like I deserved an opportunity. But God had other plans for me. Every plan that I did write about, possibly winning the MVP in the world somewhere, I won it in Japan. So I am grateful and very thankful."
After graduating from Wake Forest and finishing his football career with a team-high 11 tackles in a Belk Bowl victory over Texas A&M, linebacker Jaboree Williams took a shot at an NFL career.
Picked up as an undrafted free agent by the Philadelphia Eagles, Williams made it through rookie minicamp and then fall camp before being cut.
After joining a team in the Alliance of American Football, the league was unable to complete a full season before being disbanded. He joined an XFL roster only to see it suffer the same fate. Next up was the Oakland Panthers in the Indoor Football League. Unfortunately COVID-19 ended that season as well for the recent Demon Deacon grad.
Battling through multiple bouts of depression, Williams was on the verge of giving up competitive football and had accepted a graduate assistant position at Northern Illinois.
But Williams got a call from Wake Forest director of recruiting Chris Coulter. Both are Florida natives and had built a strong connection during Williams' four years in the program.
"Man, I know somebody who's willing to do anything to play ball again," Coulter said when asked if he knew of anyone willing to play professional football in Japan.
"Yeah, sure. I'll talk to him," Williams told Coulter when he called. "You know, I'm open to anything."
In his first full season in the X-League in Japan, Williams won the Most Valuable Player award, contributing eight sacks, four blocked punts, two blocked field goals, a dozen tackles for loss, two interceptions and two forced fumbles.
"I just had a really great year," Williams said. "I'm really grateful and thankful because it's a pass-heavy league. Teams really don't run the ball. So, for the benefit of the team, I actually converted to an edge rusher. I mean, I was always good at blitzing and everything.
"So first year as an edge rusher, really kind of just going off my athleticism and knowing how to pass rush, from learning in college from the under Coach (Dave) Cohen. We got into the championship, but lost by four points. So the season didn't go perfectly. But I won MVP and I'm thankful. That was my journey over this past year or so. I still live there. We're going back for another season. It's just been a great opportunity and I'm thankful to be honest."
It's an amazing career arch for Williams, who was ready to give up competitive football until the call from Coulter.
"If this doesn't work out, I'm done with football," he told himself. "Hey, I'll give it one last try before I tie this thing up and just let it go. And, it's been one of the best decisions I've ever made."
After being cut by the Eagles Williams faced a long period of depression, which resurfaced as he dealt with the abrupt endings within the AAF and XFL.
"I was in a state of depression," Williams said. "I only had my mother, my friends and family, but they really made no difference at that point because I was in a hole within myself.
"When am I going to get a chance?" wondered Williams, hounding himself.
"I feel like I just never got a fair chance," Williams said. "And truthfully, I just kept going. I told myself that I will never give up. I'll just go, and go, and go, until I can't anymore. I was just locked in. I figured that at some point my opportunity would come and I'll actually be able to ball out and do everything I dreamed of doing."
He blamed God for his plight, then turned to God to help dig out of the depression.
"I was raised in the church, so I knew what I had to do to get out of that depression phase," Williams said. "I knew that I had to get on my knees and ask God to be with me.
"But God had to teach me a lesson about having perseverance, and just trusting him and trusting his will, trusting his plan, whatever he has for me. So it was really kind of a test. I failed the test at first, but then I came around and I passed the test. And that was really it.
Williams credits his faith for digging out of his depression and helping him find success in the X-League.
"I never cut corners, I did things the right way," Williams said. "And I felt like I deserved an opportunity. But God had other plans for me. Every plan that I did write about, possibly winning the MVP in the world somewhere, I won it in Japan. So I am grateful and very thankful."
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