(Black PR Wire) FAYETTEVILLE, NC – Fayetteville-born restaurateur Nicholas Perkins, the new owner of the Fuddruckers premium hamburger brand, has a soft spot for students whose mental toughness enables them to be academic and athletic standouts.

Which explains why Perkins, 40, a onetime gridiron star at Fayetteville’s E.E. Smith High School, is a big admirer of Fayetteville State University defensive back Joshua Williams. A 6-foot-3, 197-pound FSU senior who plays cornerback, Williams delivered two eye-opening performances to get the Broncos’ 2021 football season under way.

A stat line of 15 tackles, 3 passes defended and a dazzling interception returned for a touchdown resulted in Williams being named CIAA Defensive Back of the Week following the Broncos’ first two games. No slouch in the classroom, Williams is holding down a 3.1 grade point average as he works toward a degree in Management Information Systems.

In light of Williams’ dual-threat capabilities, Perkins agreed to an NIL deal linking Williams’ likeness to a Church’s Chicken restaurant Perkins owns in Fayetteville. The arrangement comes on the heels of an NCAA decision allowing college athletes to benefit from their names and likenesses.

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“I’m inspired by bright, highly motived HBCU students like Joshua Williams,” says Perkins, a 2003 FSU graduate who earned a football scholarship but couldn’t play due to a medical condition. Perkins is a lifetime member of the Omega Psi Phi fraternity, which Williams also belongs to. 

“Joshua brings a level of determination and perseverance to the table that just can’t be taught,” Perkins says. “To be honest, in a lot of ways he reminds me of myself.”

About Fuddruckers/ Nicholas M. Perkins

On August 6, 2021, entrepreneur and philanthropist Nicholas M. Perkins closed a historic deal to acquire the Fuddruckers restaurant franchise system from Luby’s, Inc., in a transaction valued at $18.5 million. The purchase by Perkins encompasses ownership of the Fuddruckers brand worldwide, to include restaurants in Canada, Mexico, Panama and 85 locations in the United States.

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pr@blacktitaninvestments.com