Amid waiting for Dillon Thieneman‘s pending decision of whether or not he’ll return to Oregon or declare for the 2026 NFL draft, the Oregon Ducks have added a safety via the transfer portal. Former Baylor Bears safety Carl Williams IV announced the news of his commitment to the Ducks on his X account on Monday morning.
Williams was a three-star recruit and ranked as the No. 80 cornerback and No. 30th player in Louisiana coming out of high school in 2023, per 247 Sports.
When he arrived at Baylor, he was switched to safety and immediately stood out, starting five games and appearing in all 12 games as a true freshman. He battled injuries in 2024, starting seven games. Injuries continued to hamper the 6-foot-1, 192-pounder, as he missed a majority of the 2025 campaign in which he amassed just a single tackle.
In three seasons with the Bears, he totaled 57 tackles, three passes defensed, two forced fumbles and an interception and sack apiece.
— Carl Williams IV (@carlwilliamsIV) January 12, 2026
Williams joins an Oregon secondary that is still awaiting the decision of Thieneman, who was an AP All-American Second Team selection in 2025.
In the case that Thieneman does depart, the former Baylor safety has shown that he can step in and perform when healthy, as he was one of the top safeties in the Big 12 as a true freshman and true sophomore before going down with an injury. If Thieneman decides to forego the draft and return to Eugene, the Ducks will have a viable reserve safety.
Williams will have two seasons of eligibility remaining with the assumption that he uses a medical redshirt for the 2025 season.
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This article originally appeared on Ducks Wire: Oregon Ducks land former Baylor S Carl Williams IV via transfer portal
