Oklahoma State 149-Pounder Jordan Williams Dismissed from Team After Second Arrest

Oklahoma State 149-pounder Jordan Williams is no longer on the team after being arrested twice in less than a year.

According to public records, Williams was allegedly arrested by OSU PD at 2:07 a.m. Wednesday for public intoxication and malicious injury to property. The incident happened in Parking Lot 4, which is the parking lot on the north side of Gallagher-Iba Arena.

This was the second time in less than a year Williams was arrested. He was also arrested by OSU PD on Aug. 16, 2023 and was eventually charged with operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol, according to court documents. It was two days from being exactly a year between arrests and Williams was still on probation until Feb. 6. PFB was not aware of Williams’ first arrest until after the most recent.

OSU on Thursday informed PFB that Williams was dismissed from the program after the incident. The decision was made by new head coach David Taylor, who replaced John Smith after his retirement. Smith was Williams’ coach during the first arrest. Taylor was hired on May 6.

“Jordan Williams is no longer part of the Cowboy Wrestling program due to a rules violation,” Taylor said in a statement. “We wish him well as he moves forward.”

Williams was in and out of the Cowboys’ starting lineup early in the 2023-24 season before winning the job at 149 pounds as a redshirt freshman. He concluded his first full college season with a 17-9 record and qualified for the NCAA Wrestling Championships, where he was a win away from reaching All-American status. He was also a Big 12 runner-up after making a run in the conference tournament.

“I think more importantly, personally he’s growing,” Smith said last season after Williams won the starting job. “And that’s what has to happen first. He’s personally growing up, he seems to understand what’s at stake. There’s been times in the season where I wanted to step back and just give the weight class to Sammy. I think for Jordan, recognizing that, ‘Hey, I lost my spot there for a while and may have lost it period.’

“I think it’s helped him grow up, more than helped him get his head on and become a better wrestler. I think he sees a little bit of about what the world can do to you if you’re not careful, and I’m sure glad to see him just grow up and take responsibility and come in the mornings– our morning workouts, he’s one of the first ones here now. Just some good things are happening for him right now that he sees. His mindset is really at a good place of helping him develop as we go forward here.”

Williams was projected to start again for the Cowboys during the 2024-25 season. OSU will now most likely look to Carter Young to fill the void or bump Tagen Jamison up and fill the 141-pound spot instead. Young started for the Cowboys for two years at 141 but didn’t see the mat last year after getting injured at the end of the 2022-23 season. Other 149-pounders on OSU’s roster include redshirt sophomore Cutter Sheets and freshman Kolter Burton.