Bryson Allen-Williams Commits to South Carolina: Quick Thoughts

As you've heard by now, Ellenwood, Ga./Cedar Grove OLB Bryson Allen-Williams has committed to Carolina. This is a huge commitment for Carolina, although not a particularly surprising one, given that Allen-Williams has made it no mystery that Carolina has led for his services for a long time.

A few things that jump out about this commitment:
--Allen-Williams chose Carolina over Alabama and Georgia, not to mention offers from powerhouse programs like Michigan and Southern Cal. Beating 'Bama for a player's services is no small matter these days. Some of the other recent big-name players for whom we beat 'Bama were Jadeveon Clowney, Stephon Gilmore, and more recently, Connor Mitch. These are all guys who either had or are having great careers at Carolina, or who have bright futures. Expect the same from Allen-Williams; he's a big-time talent. What makes this commitment even more impressive is that Allen-Williams is an out-of-state guy, which suggests our increased regional profile vis-a-vis the more traditional powers.
--Speaking of Georgia, Allen-Williams speaks continuously of what an impact it had on him to be in attendance for Carolina's huge win over the Dawgs last season. In interviews he talks frequently of thinking back to that game and getting chills imagining himself taking the field for Carolina in that kind of atmosphere. This is another testament to how the program's recent successes are transforming its profile for top-level HS talent.
--Allen-Williams plays at a position of need for Carolina. Although we won't be as young at LB by the time he arrives on campus in 2014, few of the guys on the depth chart will have come in with as much upside as he has, so there's good reason to believe that he'll be set to have the opportunity for a productive college career.
--Allen-Williams is going to be an excellent recruiter for us. He's a very personable, popular player among the other prospects and once vowed that whatever school got him would get the most zealous player-recruiter in the country. In particular, Carolina is pursuing a number of GA talents such as big WR Terry Googer who are known to be buddies of Allen-Williams. He has an invite to Nike's The Opening, a national all-star camp the draws a veritable whos-who of cream-of-the-crop talent, and you can expect that he'll preach the good word to the players he meets. In short, he's a player who's going to improve our profile around the country.