Kedron Williams

HE SURPRISED MANY by earning playing time as a true freshman for Washington State this past season, and looked to be the front runner at nickel heading into this spring. But sophomore Kedron Williams (6-0, 185) was scarce during spring ball and will medically retire, sources told Cougfan.com.

WSU sports information director Bill Stevens confirmed the medical retirement to CF.C.

It is unknown what ended Williams’ football career in Pullman. WSU does not disclose injury information but we do know Williams was on the receiving end of a helmet-to-helmet hit after an interception vs. Colorado in Week 10. It was initially ruled targeting before replay overruled the call on the field.

Although Williams continued to be listed as the No. 2 on the depth chart at nickel behind Hunter Dale following that game, he did not play in the final three contests including the Alamo Bowl.

Per NCAA rules, a medical retirement will allow Williams to keep his scholarship as a student, but that scholarship no longer counts against Washington State’s 85-man scholarship limit.

Out of Bellflower, Calif., the St. John Bosco High product earned the second-string job at nickel his rookie season, overtaking fellow true freshmen Halid Djibril and Patrick Nunn on the depth chart.

Williams played a noteworthy role in securing two of the Cougars wins in 2018. Against Utah, Williams spelled Dale for stretches and made four tackles and broke up a pass in WSU’s tense 28-24 win. In WSU's 31-7 triumph over Colorado, Williams made three tackles along with his interception in the fourth quarter that ended up being his final play in a Cougar uniform.

He finished his rookie season with seven tackles in seven games, a pass break up and interception. But he was more than just a productive special teamer -- when Williams came in to spell Dale at nickel, he stood out.

This spring, Skyler Thomas traded his starting free safety job for the job at nickel.

Behind Thomas are no shortage of potential nickel options, including Nunn, Djibril, Damion Lee and Shahman Moore. Corner Daniel Isom and safety Bryce Beekman, the latter the leading candidate coming out of the spring to start at free safety, could also be possibilities at nickel.

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