Howard rookie linebacker William Mason brings size, upside, and a fresh-man’s edge
William Mason is listed for Howard in the 2026 season as a freshman linebacker out of Memphis, and the clearest takeaway is simple: he’s a young, physical piece with room to grow rather than a finished product[1][4][8]. Public roster listings show him at about 5'8"-5'9" and 220 pounds, which suggests a compact, downhill style that can help him play with leverage and pop at the point of contact[1][3][8]. He’s worth watching because freshmen linebackers who already carry that kind of density often flash special-teams value fast, then earn bigger defensive snaps if the instincts catch up.
