Miami football competitive with Florida for Four-star S Avantae Williams
Four-star safety Avantae Williams who has the Miami football program and Florida in his final two will announce which school he is signing with at 12:30 PM Wednesday on National Signing Day.
The Miami football program led by now head coach Manny Diaz and co-defensive coordinator and safeties coach Ephraim Banda has been recruiting the nation’s second-best safety, four-star Avantae Williams since April 2016. The Hurricanes are competing with Florida to get Williams to sign a National Letter of Intent with them.
Miami is deep at safety and should be for at least the next couple of years. Amari Carter will be the only senior the Hurricanes have at safety in 2020. Carter projects as the third safety in the rotation. RIsing juniors Bubba Bolden and Gurvan Hall are the projected starters. Williams would be the fourth safety in Miami’s 2020 class.
Miami signed four-star safety Jalen Harrell and three-stars Brian Balom and Keshawn Washington during the early signing period in December. Washington is the only one who has enrolled. Williams is rated significantly higher than the aforementioned three safeties. Harrell is scored .914 and Williams .9769 by 247 Sports.
The Crystal Ball from the 12 prognosticators all project Williams to Florida. The competition to sign the elite safety could be closer than the crystal ball indicates. The Miami football staff had a nearly two-year head start recruiting Williams than Florida. Williams has previously been committed to the Hurricanes and Oregon.
Andrew Ivins of Inside the U reported on Tuesday morning that relationships are important to Williams. That could give Miami an edge. Williams has reportedly yet to inform either Miami or Florida which school he intends to sign with. Ivins stated that a day before Williams signs its too early for the Hurricanes to claim him as a loss.
Williams is well regarded in his Deland community. The principal and vice-principal from Deland high school and principal from a local grammar school all posted on twitter about Williams’ appearance and speech to a group of fourth-graders earlier this week. Williams is the type of leader the Miami football program needs.
Williams would be a huge addition to the Miami football program on and off the field. It would not be devastating to the Hurricanes 2020 signing class if Williams signs with Florida. Miami has quality depth in the returning players and with who is coming in at safety. The addition of Williams would vault Miami from 17th to 12th in 2020.