Miami football preview: Chantz Williams next potential great pass rusher
Defensive end Chantz Williams was a four-star signee with the Miami football program in 2020. Williams is likely on the verge of redshirting this season.
Defensive end Chantz Williams signed with the Miami football program in the class of 2020 as a near sure redshirt. Williams was would have been behind redshirt sophomore Greg Rousseau, graduate transfer Quincy Roche, redshirt junior Jaelan Phillips and redshirt freshman Jahfari Harvey in 2020.
With Rousseau opting out for 2020 Williams’ redshirt might not happen. The top three Miami edge rushers in 2020 with Rousseau opting out will certainly be Roche, Phillips and Harvey. Who will play behind them will be a competition between Williams and redshirt freshmen Cameron Williams and Jason Blissett.
Chantz Williams likely has the most upside of those three. Miami also has 2020 signees, Elijah Roberts and Quentin Williams. Roberts could potentially move inside to defensive tackle once he gets further along working with Miami strength and conditioning coordinator David Feeley.
Head coach Manny Diaz expects Chantz Williams to develop into an elite pass rusher like the other players he has coached with the Hurricanes in the past four seasons. Diaz mentioned that Williams has the skills to reach that level and that he has the ability to be a disruptive edge rusher.
"“We had a great relationship with him and his family going back through his entire high school career, so we really had a chance to watch him develop….He’s really disruptive and I think we’ve seen in all four years we’ve been here, we’ve had really disruptive defensive end play, guys that could really get out to the quarterback.Chantz has a lot of the same skills of the guys that have come through here and has a chance to be right up in that class.”"
With Roche graduating after the 2020 season if Chantz Williams is not able to break into the rotation as a true freshman this fall he will have the opportunity to play in 2021. Phillips can leave for the 2021 NFL Draft if he chooses. Phillips will be able to showcase his skills more prevalently in 2020 with Rousseau’s departure.
dark. Next. UM DL has enough depth to absorb Greg Rousseau opting out
How the season goes could determine how much Chantz Williams plays in 2020. If Harvey, Phillips and Roche can stay healthy and someone else steps up as the fourth and fifth pass rushers it would be advantageous for Miami to redshirt Williams this fall. If the depth gets depleted Williams will have a chance to perform.