Mississippi State WR Austin Williams Receives Highest SEC Student-Athlete Award

Mississippi State wide receiver Austin Williams has picked up many accolades during his time in Maroon and White, but few are bigger than one special award he received on Tuesday morning.

Williams was recognized as the male recipient of the H. Boyd McWhorter Scholar-Athlete of the Year by the SEC. The award is the biggest that the conference gives out and goes to the top male and female student-athletes across all sports. Recipients are successful members of their respective athletic programs and also go above and beyond in the classroom and community.

It's no secret that Williams dominates on the football field. Through 50 games played, the redshirt senior has totaled 116 receptions for 1,245 yards and 12 touchdowns. 2021 was his biggest season with the Bulldogs-- Williams finished the year with 52 catches, 617 yards and four touchdowns. His 0.9 percent drop rate is the lowest for a wide receiver in the SEC since 2019. 

Academically, Williams might have more impressive "stats" than he does on the football field. It took him just three years to earn an undergraduate degree in finance, and he has since earned a master's degree in business administration. Williams maintained a 4.0 GPA throughout his academic career and has been named a member of the SEC Academic Honor Roll four times. 

Members of the MSU football program chose Williams to represent them on the MSU Football Leadership Council in 2020 and 2021. He was named a team captain in 2021 and also served as Mississippi State's representative on the 2021 SEC Community Service team.

As if he hasn't already done enough for the university and the city of Starkville, Williams has one more year to leave a final mark on Mississippi State. He will return to the football field next fall to finish out his time in maroon and white. During that time, fans can expect that Williams will continue to be an excellent scholar and wonderful representative of the Bulldogs.