Billy Napier and his staff played host to Lakeland four-star wide receiver [autotag]Tyler Williams[/autotag] on Saturday and the in-state recruit left Gainesville impressed with the new group coaching the Gators.
Williams got the full recruiting experience this weekend, according to 247Sports. He sat in on receiver meetings, did a photoshoot and observed practices before having his own meetings with coaches. Both sides were being introduced in person for the first time, so it was a learning experience for everyone.
“I thought it was better meeting with them in person than talking to them over the phone like we have been,” Williams said. “It was nice to be able to have a conversation with them about different things. They got to actually see me and me see them. The coaches thought I was big and fast and they were saying how they really like my film. They said I am a strong guy and can play any position they would want from me on the field.”
I had a great day at @GatorsFB thanks for having me I’ll be back!@kearycolbert @coach_bnapier pic.twitter.com/aVF2MykMpE
— Tyler Williams (@Ty_Williams04) April 3, 2022
One thing Williams noticed in practice was that Florida lacked depth at wide receiver. That could translate into some early playing time for the recruits that pick UF, but nothing is guaranteed. Regardless, Williams also liked the way Florida ran its practices, involving all of the receivers on the roster rather than only the first string players.
“They have a good rotation at practice,” he said. “I think they have like eight plays for each group and then rotate. You get to see different people and it helps different guys get reps. You can see the moving pieces… They make all their players get involved and not just the 1’s getting all the reps. Coach (Keary) Colbert just doesn’t tell guys what to do. He actually gets out there and runs the routes and shows them.”
Williams hopes to make a commitment by August, but he’s still in the heat of the recruiting process. Clemson, Georgia and Stanford have all made their mark by hosting him, and Florida joins that group now as well. Baylor, Miami, Michigan, Tennessee and USF are also in the mix despite some of those programs not having been offered yet.
Official visits should come over the summer but nothing has been ironed out just yet. The 247Sports Composite ranks Williams as the No. 248 overall prospect and the No. 30 wide receiver prospect.
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