With three more regular season games remaining, Mission Viejo senior Jaden Williams leads the nation with 20 sacks.

His exploits in leading the Diablos from a Maxprep preseason no. 28 national ranking to the no. 9 team in the country this week have him in the running for National Player of the Year.

Williams recorded six sacks and six QB hurries against perennial southern California power Chaparral High in Temecula. He racked up three sacks and four hurries against Arizona’s top-ranked program, Basha High School. Williams added six more hurries and a half-sack on football’s biggest stage when Mission Viejo drubbed Long Beach Poly 49-14 at Sofi Stadium two weeks ago. Williams has failed to record a sack in just one game this season.

“I would just say this offseason I’ve been training with coach (Charles Wright),” Williams told EVT when asked how he’s taken his play to a new level. “He runs his own training company. … I dedicate a lot to him and coach (Chase) Moline, of course, the D-line coach at Mission. I’d give credit to those two.”

The national spotlight has brought recruiting interest from power schools. While he admitted thinking over these possibilities, he emphasized that he was still committed to the Aztecs. “I love SDSU. I can tell you that,” he said.

As with every athlete tied to the program, head coach Sean Lewis and his staff must deepen their relationship with Williams and prove that partnering with them is the best place for his future. While nothing surprises in NIL and the unlimited transfer era, numerous factors are working in the Aztecs’ favor in keeping Williams part of SDSU’s Class of 2025.

Probably the most critical factor is Williams’ character and personality. Far from being an athlete chasing the biggest paycheck, the Mission Viejo star’s attraction to football has as much to do with the intangibles off the field as it does with the excitement on it.

“This year, we’ve had a really tight-knit group, and we’re real close from the freshmen to seniors,” Williams said. “Everyone’s family and (Mission Viejo head) coach (Chad) Johnson instilled that in the team. I would just say we play for each other, and we got the talent to go. It’s going to be a fun year.”

The value of being part of a true team is challenging to describe to those who have not experienced it. Togetherness raises the quality of every experience throughout each day. It bodes well for the Aztecs that Williams knows what camaraderie feels like because his high school coaches are skilled at building it.

Not only will he bring that realized possibility with him to The Mesa, but he will be slow to give up what money can’t buy for what NIL dollars can bring. Williams highlighted SDSU’s special culture when he committed to the Aztecs.

Early opportunities to see the field are also a positive for the Aztecs. Defensive coordinator Eric Schmidt has used three EDGE rushers on passing downs in every contest this season. Multiple times, Schmidt has utilized four EDGE defenders as SDSU’s four down linemen.

He used this tactic to seal the victory over Wyoming. Trey White, Ryan Henderson, Dominic Oliver, and Ezekiel Larry rushed the QB on last Saturday’s final play. With White double-teamed, Larry tripped the QB, and the signal caller stumbled into Henderson and Oliver’s bruising arms.

EDGE rushers typically sit a year when they arrive on campuses. The position’s rigor usually requires someone trained in a college strength and conditioning program. This leaves inconsistent snaps for athletes outside of the two-deep. The Aztecs’ creativity in putting more rushers on the field opens a door for Williams to see early playing time.

“My goal is to go in there freshman year, hopefully not redshirt, and get on the field for those third and long opportunities to go pass rush,” said Williams.

SDSU’s scheme is also tailored to Williams’ skill set. When he chose the Aztecs over Boise State, EDGE coach Rob Aurich was selling a vision of the featured position of the 4-2-5. That vision has become a reality in just six games.

SDSU has 25 sacks this year. The EDGEs have 17.5 of those. White leads the country with 11. Marlem Louis is tied for no. 59 in the country with 3.5 sacks. Henderson is just behind him with 2.5.

Every school offers positives to athletes. SDSU gives elite pass rushers like Williams the central place on its defense. While most schemes will demand more disciplined play from its ends, the Aztecs’ EDGEs are given every opportunity to disrupt the opposition.

“When I went (on my visit) (SDSU EDGE) coach Aurich told me, ‘our EDGE rushers have freedom. They can go inside, go outside, and everyone plays around you,’” Williams explained. “Who doesn’t want to play like that? You can work your game the entire time and not have to worry about what other people are doing.”

Schools trying to pry Williams away have another obstacle to overcome. Williams scheduled his commitment for the summer to give his full attention to his Mission Viejo season. He is a winner above all else. Opening up his recruitment during the season could be a distraction.

After weeks of attempting to connect with him for this article, he became available during his team’s bye week. Williams is laser-focused on doing what many consider impossible, ending the Mater Dei, St. John Bosco dominance of California football.

“The main goal is to win the big state championship,” Williams said. “Beat Mater Dei beat those teams. That’s ultimately our goal because we won state last year, but that wasn’t the big one. We’re aiming for the best that we can go.”

Finally, White’s emergence as one of the premier defenders in America speaks volumes to the opportunity EDGE players have at SDSU. Unshackled from the responsibility of playing SAM linebacker in the 3-3-5, White’s motor, athleticism, and intelligence have thrived.

Development is key for any recruit as they consider the next level. When a prospect commits to a school, they entrust their future to the coaches they work under. White’s meteoric rise and his in-season improvement prove Aurich can take athletes to new heights.

“It just shows me that everything they told me was true,” Williams said. “They told me they’re going to use me just how they’re using Trey. It’s going to be fun to be part of the family. And we’re both similar, I feel like.”

How Williams will translate to SDSU’s defense takes no imagination. Mission Viejo uses Williams all over the defensive front, just like the Aztecs use White.

SDSU is second in the nation in sacks this year. The prospect of White and Williams teaming up in 2025 is exciting. Both, though, have opportunities elsewhere.

For EDGE athletes like White and Williams, SDSU is the perfect place to develop their talents to an NFL level. With an even NIL playing field, there would be little fear that White or Williams would seek to leave.

“He’s doing a great job,” Lewis said about White yesterday. “It’s who he has shown himself to be each and every single day … he’s an unbelievable standard of all our core beliefs … We need to retain him as we move through the season as well. So, if you guys haven’t already, Aztec Link is our proud collective supporter. We’re going to need some help … We all know the landscape of what (college football) is right now.”

Jaden Williams is committed to the Aztecs. Can SDSU keep it that way?

Paul Garrison

My earliest sport’s memory involve tailgating at the Murph, running down the circular exit ramps, and seeing the Padres, Chargers and Aztecs play. As a second generation Aztec, I am passionate about all things SDSU. Other interests include raising my four children, being a great husband and teaching high school.