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Name: Jamyest Williams
Position: Cornerback
Height/Weight: 5’9" / 170 lbs.
Hometown: Loganville, Ga.
Rating: Rivals, ESPN, 247: Four star
From the time he committed to the Gamecocks on national television, Williams’ road to signing day has been a wild ride to say the least. After taking his official visit to Georgia on Jan. 20, rampant speculation arose on whether or not Williams’ would keep his commitment to South Carolina or flip to Georgia, much closer to his hometown or Loganville. Williams would take his official visit to South Carolina a week later, which apparently was enough to keep his mind set and stay with Will Muschamp. Williams was a consensus top-150 player and top-10 defensive back who had offers from nearly two dozen schools, including Alabama, Michigan, Southern Cal and Florida State.
Strengths: Excelled as a two-way player at tailback and corner back. Has good speed and a second gear to pull away from defenders with the ball in his hand or close in on receivers in the open field. Despite his size Williams’ is incredibly physical, with the ability to shake off tacklers who have 50 pounds on him or bowl through receivers on blocks. Plays well in zone by keeping his eyes on the quarterback and can telegraph routes in man coverage. The combination of size and speed allows him to blanket receivers in coverage with little to no room left to throw to.
Weaknesses: The biggest concern right now for Williams is his size. He could stand to bulk up to help him handle the kind of receivers he’ll see in the SEC in press coverage. Can be over-aggressive when breaking on routes to look for interceptions or pass breakups, which didn’t hurt him in high school but will on this next level.
Summary: Williams is without a doubt a big step for Will Muschamp in his ability to recruit at South Carolina. He’s the cream of this 2017 crop and has the ability to start for South Carolina next season if not play some this season. Williams has the possibility to open doors for other top-100 recruits in the future to realize they too can make a home at South Carolina. Of all the recruits in this class, Williams has the best potential to be an All-American in the future.