The evolution of the safety position for the Miami Hurricanes will continue when second-year freshman Avantae Williams is scheduled to make his collegiate debut on Saturday against North Carolina State. Williams missed his entire true freshman season due to an undisclosed medical condition.
The debut had to wait this season with Williams suspended for the first six games of 2021. True freshmen Kamren Kinchens and James Williams have made an impact in the first half of the 2021 season for Miami. Kinchens is eighth on the Miami Hurricanes with 16 tackles and has added one pass breakup and one forced fumble.
Williams has 12 tackles, one of the four Miami interceptions and one pass breakup. James Williams is listed as the starter at safety with Bubba Bolden on the depth chart this week against North Carolina State. Kinchens is the backup to Bolden and Gurvan Hall is behind James Williams on the depth chart.
The Miami Hurricanes coaching staff does not expect Avantae Williams to immediately make an impact. Head coach Manny Diaz told reporters on Monday that Avantae Williams will have a role on special teams against North Carolina State on Saturday. Miami will be deep and talented at safety for the next few years.
"“We’ll get Avantae out there. I’m not sure how much how big of a role he’ll play you know when Avantae was out, Avantae missed all of training camp and wasn’t allowed to practice with us for the first two weeks of the season. So he’s really only been back for I guess maybe four weeks um as a full-time guy practicing.There’s some things that he missed, but it’ll be good to have him back out there, get him into the competition. I think I would have to assume he’d have a role on special teams…just to get again. It’s still his first-ever college game out there so you have to temper the expectations of…how you build your portfolio.Going forward he doesn’t have to put a cape onto anything special just just do it do a great job of whatever role he’s asked to play and I’m sure it’ll expand from there.”"
Avantae Williams was the 42nd best player, second-best safety, and seventh-best player in Florida in the Class of 2020 according to the 247 Sports composite rankings. James Williams was 15th, the top safety and fourth in the Class of 2021 with Kinchens 330th, 23rd and 52nd. Miami will find a way to get all three on the field.
James Williams is the second most talented defensive player on the Miami roster behind fellow 2021 five-star signee, defensive tackle Leonard Taylor. Avantae Williams is fourth and Kinchens 19th. Safety is the most talented position group on the Miami roster. Bolden is listed as the sixth most talented Miami defensive player.