Miami football will have deep safety corps with Avantae Williams declared healthy
Miami freshman safety Avantae Williams posted to his Instagram stories late Friday night that he has been cleared to play in 2021. Williams missed his true freshman season in 2020 because of an undisclosed medical issue. The return of Williams will give the Miami football team one of the deepest safety units in college football.
Williams was the top-ranked signee in the 2020 Miami class. The 45th ranked player, second-ranked safety and seventh-ranked player in the class of 2020 according to the 247 sports composite, Williams signed with Miami after most crystal balls projected him to sign with Florida.
Williams will be part of an extremely deep safety unit for Miami in 2021. The Hurricanes return everyone at safety. Senior Amari Carter, redshirt junior Bubba Bolden and junior Gurvan Hall received most of the snaps in 2020. Behind them last season were freshman Brian Balom and Jalen Harrell.
Miami also signed Keshawn Washington in the Class of 2020. The 2021 Miami signees included the top-ranked safety nationally James Williams and four-star safety Kamren Kinchens. If Bolden, Carter and Hall are healthy and able to play, challenging for snaps will be difficult for the second and third-team safeties.
Miami is thin at cornerback and Williams has the skills to assist in coverage especially at nickel. With all the talent the Hurricanes have at safety, Manny Diaz and the Miami coaching staff are going to have to be creative to get all their safeties on the field. Williams is also a strong tackler. Williams’ skills are summarized by 247.
"“Capable of playing multiple positions in the secondary at safety, corner or nickel. Has shown some natural coverage skills with the ability to go man up on receivers and play with range as a deep safety. Has a knack for closing on passes quickly. Also flashes physicality as a tackler and striker.Displays his playmaking ability, ball skills change of direction and solid long speed as a running back and return man.”"
If Williams can stay healthy he has a bright future for the Miami football program with James Williams to give the Hurricanes another elite tandem at safety. Williams will reportedly be ready to participate in spring which begins March 15. Thankfully with the depth Miami has at safety, Williams will be able to ease back into shape.