![Florida Gators tight end Arlis Boardingham (8) can’t hold onto a pass while being defended by Miami Hurricanes defensive back Markeith Williams (15) during the season opener at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Gainesville, FL on Saturday, August 31, 2024 against the University of Miami Hurricanes in the first half. [Doug Engle/Gainesville Sun]](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_crop,x_0,y_0,w_2612,h_1469/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images/ImagnImages/mmsport/200/01k4nhq8wcpeqbr20xva.jpg "Florida Gators tight end Arlis Boardingham (8) can’t hold onto a pass while being defended by Miami Hurricanes defensive back Markeith Williams (15) during the season opener at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Gainesville, FL on Saturday, August 31, 2024 against the University of Miami Hurricanes in the first half. [Doug Engle/Gainesville Sun]")
Matt Zenitz and Chris Hummer of CBS Sports reported Miami safety Markeith Williams is transferring. Williams had 31 tackles, 1.0 tackle for loss, two pass breakups and two passes defended playing for Miami from 2022-24. Williams did not appear in the Miami wins over Notre Dame and Bethune-Cookman to begin the 2025 season.
In his three seasons with Miami, Williams appeared in 27 games with one start. Miami signed Williams in the 2022 class as a four-star prospect, the 325th ranked player, the 26th safety and the 36th player in Florida out of Orlando, Evans.
The best game for Williams came in the 2023 Pinstripe Bowl versus when starters Kamren Kinchens and James Williams opted out. Making the only start of his Miami career, Markeith Williams had eight tackles, 1,0 TFL and 1.0 pass defended versus Rutgers.
Williams was passed up in the secondary rotation for Miami with the addition of six transfer defensive backs to the 2025 roster. Four of the five Miami starters in the secondary against Bethune-Cookman on Saturday were 2025 transfers.
Miami safety Markeith Williams has entered the transfer portal, @chris_hummer and I have learned for @CBSSports.
— Matt Zenitz (@mzenitz) September 8, 2025
Former four-star recruit who posted 13 tackles last season and 15 in 2023. pic.twitter.com/lVTfynwszc
Wisconsin transfer cornerback Xavier Lucas is second on Miami with eight tackles in 2025 behind defensive lineman Rueben Bain. Auburn transfer DB Keionte Scott had 3.0 TFLs versus Bethune-Cookman on Saturday and that total leads Miami this season through the first two games.
Safeties Jakobe Thomas from Tennessee and Zechariah Poyser from Jacksonville State have also emerged as key starters for Miami in the secondary in 2025. Miami has the depth to absorb the loss of Williams with the six transfers and a strong 2025 class in the secondary but loses a veteran in the room.
Williams took official visits to Nebraska and Ohio State as a high school prospect in addition to Miami.
Former Miami assistant coaches Ishmael Aristide and Travaris Robinson were the recruiters for Williams with the Hurricanes. Aristide is now at Texas A&M and Robinson is at Georgia.