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Washington Evening Journal
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Washington, IA 52353
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Washington’s Kael Williams signs with Drake football
Williams will suit up for Bulldogs, play in Iowa Shrine Bowl
Southeast Iowa Union offers audio versions of articles using Instaread. Some words may be mispronounced.
Washington senior Kael Williams will continue his football career at the college level. After standing out on the gridiron as the Demons quarterback last season, Williams signed with Drake and will suit up for the Bulldogs this fall.
Williams made things official at a signing ceremony Wednesday. He is set to play running back for a Drake team that went 8-4 in 2025 and is entering its second season under coach Joe Woodley.
“The culture and the coaching staff really made me connect with them and it made me really want to be a part of it,” Williams said. “It was hard to say no to it, and I made a good connection with Coach Woodley.”
In his senior campaign at Washington, Williams tallied 1,137 rushing yards and 17 touchdowns, while also throwing for 796 yards and four scores. He earned All-District honors as a utility player and helped the Demons to a 5-4 record.
For his varsity career, spanning three seasons, Williams rushed for 2,259 yards and 20 touchdowns. The senior also plays basketball and runs track at Washington.
Williams said one of his favorite on-field memories was his 87-yard kickoff return touchdown against Oskaloosa to open the Demons’ 2024 season. He’ll also cherish the relationships he made and the jokes he shared on the field with his teammates.
“I’m really thankful to be a part of the Demon football program and all of the people a part of it,” Williams said. “It’s just a great community-wide thing, and I think the thing I learned most about it is just brotherhood and just being a part of a family and it being more than football, and I think I related a lot to that with Drake.”
Before he kicks off his college football career, Williams will participate in the Iowa Shrine Bowl on July 25 at the UNI-Dome in Cedar Falls. The all-star game brings together some of the top senior high school talent from across the state and raises money for Shriners Children’s Hospitals.
