Leonard Williams is a powerful defensive end. Where will he sign?
Leonard Williams is one of the top recruits in the country. The defensive end from Daytona Beach Mainland (Fla.) is an impressive 6'5 and 255 pounds. He holds offers from most of the top schools in the country. And while a few of those schools might have filled up, Williams still has plenty of options. After Williams' impressive week at the Under Armour All-America event, SB Nation caught up with him recently to find out what's new with his recruitment.
SBN: Do you have a top group of schools you're currently considering?
Williams: "Auburn, Florida, Florida State, Miami and USC. My top three is Auburn, Florida and Florida State. They've been on me the hardest, showing me their strengths."
SBN: Auburn is currently without a defensive coordinator. Do you have anyone you'd like to see them hire? In what kind of defensive scheme do you want to play?
Williams: "I don't know who I would want them to hire, but I know if they're going to hire somebody I want him to be a 4-3 coach because that's what defense I fit and that's the main reason they're in my top right now. "
Update: One major development since I spoke with Williams is Auburn's hire of defensive coordintor Brian VanGorder. VanGorder runs a 4-3 defense, and was one of the most successful defensive coordinators in the SEC in the last two decades. His system has everything that Williams is looking for in a defense.
SBN: So as long as they base from a 4-3, you'd be alright, even if they run some 3-4 like Florida?
Williams: "Yeah, as long as they run a 4-3 I'll be good."
SBN: What did you learn about Florida State when you visited the Seminoles for bowl practice?
Williams: "I saw their style of coaching, how they practice and their defense."
Williams was a fan of the Gators growing up, and says he is close with defensive line coach Bryant Young. Despite that, he didn't have a definitive date for a visit to Gainesville.
Williams visited Auburn on October 14th, is visiting Florida State the weekend of January 13th, followed by visits to USC on the 20th and Miami on the 27th. Williams was a fan of the Gators growing up, and says he is close with defensive line coach Bryant Young. Despite that, he didn't have a definitive date for a visit to Gainesville. He did say, however, that he plans to visit Florida. It's possible he'll visit Florida instead of USC or Miami, or visit during the week.
Expect Williams to sign on National Signing Day (February 1st). Auburn insiders are very confident in the Tigers' chances, but with four remaining visits, anything can happen.
Leonard Williams, a talented defensive end out of Daytona, Florida's Mainland High School will be visiting the Florida Gators this weekend, per Gator Country's Andrew Spivey:
@AndrewSpiveyGC
Andrew Mainland defensive end Leonard Williams will visit #Florida this weekend.
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Williams is 6'4" and 265 pounds, making him a strong-side defensive end. He excels at rushing the passer and playing against the run. Williams is long, and while raw, he does show the ability to use that length to control opposing blockers by creative separation. His power is too much for tackles to handle at the high school level.
Williams would be a perfect fit in a defense that plays multiple fronts, as the Gators do, because Williams is able to play both inside and outside the opposing offensive tackle.
Auburn is considered by many to be the leader for Williams, but the Gators may have a decent shot here, as they are the in-state team and the Tigers currently are without a defensive coordinator.
For more on Florida Gator recruiting, visit Alligator Army.
Leonard Williams Commits To USC Trojans Over Florida, Florida State
Leonard Williams, one of the top defensive end recruits in the country, has committed to the USC Trojans. Williams plays for Daytona (Fla.) Mainland High School. He holds more than 20 scholarship offers, including Florida, Florida State, Auburn, USC, Miami, Tennessee, Cal and others. Williams is rated a four-star recruit by most services, and is widely regarded as one of the top 10 defensive ends in the country. He is originally from California.
Williams took official visits to Florida, Florida Sate, USC, Auburn and Miami. He wants to play in a 4-3 defensive scheme, and insists that he is not going to be a defensive tackle. The 6'5", 255 pound Williams is just beginning to scratch the surface of his potential. He has the ability to be a shutdown defender against the run, while also rushing and pushing the pocket on passing downs. Williams' frame is incredible for a defensive end.
For more on Florida recruiting, visit Alligator Army. For more on Florida State recruiting, visit Tomahawk Nation. For more on USC recruiting, visit Conquest Chronicles. Looking for National Signing Day coverage of other teams or recruits? Head to SB Nation College Football Recruiting.
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Feb 01 11:44a by Bud Elliott - 0 comments