Tag: Amaris Williams

Auburn freshman EDGE Amaris Williams plans to enter transfer portal

A five-star EDGE from the 2024 signing class, Williams departs after just one season on the Plains.

Auburn’s second-highest-rated signee from its 2024 recruiting haul is projected to leave the Plains after just one season.

According to a report by Hayes Fawcett of On3, Auburn EDGE rusher [autotag]Amaris Williams[/autotag] has filed the paperwork necessary to enter the transfer portal. The news of his plan to enter the transfer portal comes a day after EDGE coach Josh Aldridge’s announced departure from the program to become the defensive coordinator at East Carolina.

Williams signed with Auburn as the No. 5 EDGE of the 2024 recruiting cycle, trailing wide receiver [autotag]Cam Coleman[/autotag] for the top spot in Auburn’s recruiting haul. He appeared in five games for the Tigers during his freshman campaign in 2024, where he logged seven tackles and 0.5 sacks. According to Pro Football Focus, Williams participated in 120 snaps this season and created five quarterback pressures.

Williams was expected to play a larger role on defense in 2025 following the departure of [autotag]Jalen McLeod[/autotag], who graduates after making 106 stops in two seasons at Auburn with 13.5 sacks. Should Williams elect to play elsewhere, Auburn will look to rising senior [autotag]Zykeivous Walker[/autotag], redshirt freshman [autotag]Jamonta Waller[/autotag], and 2025 signee [autotag]Jared Smith[/autotag] to fill the void left behind by McLeod and to team up with rising junior Keldric Faulk to continue Auburn’s run of dominant EDGE play.

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Auburn EDGE coach Josh Aldridge to become defensive coordinator at ECU

After coaching Jalen McLeod and Keldric Faulk to success in 2023 and 2024, Aldridge is ready to take on a larger role at an AAC program.

The first coaching move of the offseason has officially taken place.

[autotag]Josh Aldridge[/autotag], who spent the previous two seasons as Auburn’s EDGE coach, departs the program for the defensive coordinator position at East Carolina according to a report by ESPN’s Pete Thamel.

Auburn’s EDGE rushers were arguably the strongest unit on Auburn’s defense the past two seasons under Aldridge. This season, [autotag]Jalen McLeod[/autotag] and [autotag]Keldric Faulk[/autotag] were the highest-graded defensive players according to Pro Football Focus at 85.5 and 84.7 respectively. The pair combined to create 74 quarterback pressures with 16 sacks and three forced fumbles. Backup EDGE rushers [autotag]Zykeivous Walker[/autotag] and [autotag]Amaris Williams[/autotag] had solid seasons as well by combining to make 13 pressures and 12 quarterback hurries.

McLeod found similar success in 2023 by creating 37 quarterback pressures with six sacks. As a freshman that season, Faulk made 36 tackles with a sack.

Before his time at Auburn, Aldridge spent four seasons under head coach [autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag] at Liberty, where he began as a defensive line coach before being promoted to defensive coordinator, becoming a Broyles Award nominee in 2021. He has also spent time at Lenor-Rhyne and West Georgia.

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Three Tigers named top 100 impact freshman by 247Sports

Of the trio, Coleman is the only freshmen “locked-in” to receive the bulk of the snaps at his position, but Williams and White could push incumbent starters for playing time as the 2024 season progresses.

247 Sports has named Auburn wide receiver[autotag]Cam Coleman[/autotag], quarterback Walker White, and defensive lineman Amaris Williams among their top 100 impact true freshman this football season. Of the trio, Coleman is the only freshmen “locked-in” to receive the bulk of the snaps at his position, but Williams and White could push incumbent starters for playing time as the 2024 season progresses.

The five-star Coleman is certain to be the No. 1 option for Auburn quarterback Payton Thorne, and possibly Walker White down the road, this season. The Phenix City, AL native had one of the most decorated careers for a wide out in Alabama high school history, earning him the No. 5 overall spot in the 2024 class. Coleman’s commitment to Auburn was the golden moment of the “Hugh Freeze Era” to this point. Auburn’s head coach will likely put an emphasis on getting his best recruit the ball early and often this campaign.

As for the aforementioned White, the four-star quarterback will not be throwing the ball to his fellow freshman in meaningful games, at least right away. The Little Rock, AR native’s path to playing time is blocked by incumbent started Payton Thorne. Thorne will probably retain the “QB1” role for the first month or so of the season regardless of statistics, but growth from White along with struggles form Thorne could give the young quarterback an opportunity.

The lone defensive player of the trio, Amaris Williams, comes to the Plains as the No. 30 overall prospect in the 2024 class. While the five-star edge rusher is uber-talented, his position may be the deepest on the Tiger’s roster. Williams will certainly start the season behind star linebacker Jalen McLeod, while fellow highly touted freshman Jamonta Waller will also be competing for snaps at the “BUCK” linebacker position.

If Williams shows extreme promise early on, defensive coordinator DJ Durkin could opt to rotate him in as a down lineman, taking snaps away from sophomore Keldric Faulk.

Auburn’s three impact freshman and the rest of the Tigers begin the season on August 31 against Alabama A&M. We’ll get a better idea of how the depth chart will shake out as the summer progresses.

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Ryan Williams recommits to Alabama, cancels official visit to Auburn

A top target for the 2024 class has recommitted to Alabama after a successful official visit with new Crimson Tide head coach Kalen Deboer.

Dreams of “The Freeze Five” have officially vanished.

[autotag]Ryan Williams[/autotag], a top target for Auburn’s 2024 class, announced Wednesday that he has recommitted to Alabama following an official visit to Tuscaloosa over the weekend. He was pursued heavily by Auburn after Williams reclassified to the 2024 class to pair him with [autotag]Cam Coleman[/autotag], [autotag]Perry Thompson[/autotag], [autotag]Malcolm Simmons[/autotag], and [autotag]Bryce Cain[/autotag] in Auburn’s wide receiver room.

The news comes as a surprise, as Williams originally planned to announce his college decision and sign on his birthday, Feb. 9. Williams took his official visit to Alabama last weekend to meet with new Crimson Tide head coach, Kalen Deboer. The meeting went well, as he decided to return his pledge to Alabama.

Following Williams’ announcement, Hayes Fawcett of On3 reported that Williams is shutting down his recruitment, which means that his official visit to Auburn on Feb. 3.

Auburn currently holds the No. 8 recruiting class according to 247Sports with three five-star signees: Cam Coleman, Perry Thompson, and [autotag]Amaris Williams[/autotag]. Alabama moves to No. 3 following the commitment of Ryan Williams.

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Ranking every SEC recruiting class after the early signing period

Auburn has the No. 7 class after the first day of the early signing period, here is how their class compares to the rest of the SEC.

It was another successful start to the early signing period for [autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag] and the Auburn Tigers.

They pulled off their fifth flip of the 2024 recruiting cycle: four-star defensive lineman [autotag]Amaris Williams[/autotag], who flipped his commitment from Florida.

They lost three-star tight end [autotag]Martavious Collins[/autotag], but the two sides have been headed in opposite directions for quite some time and his departure was expected. They signed 22 players, and [autotag]Dimitry Nicolas[/autotag] was the only commit not to sign.

The moves give Auburn the No. 7 class in the 247Sports team composite. It is the first time it has cracked the top 10 since 2020 when [autotag]Gus Malzahn[/autotag] inked the No. 7 overall class.

However, the SEC is the best conference in the sport for a reason, and it starts with their recruiting. Here is a look at how Auburn’s class compares to the rest of the conference.

Four-star LB Demarcus Riddick signs with Auburn

Riddick flipped from Georgia to Auburn over the summer.

Hugh Freeze was able to snag four-star linebacker [autotag]Demarcus Riddick[/autotag] from Georgia over the summer. Now, he is an Auburn Tiger.

Riddick, a native of Clanton, signed with Auburn on Wednesday. As a senior at Chilton County High School, Riddick recorded 92 tackles with three sacks and an interception.

Riddick is one of 11 defensive players to sign with Auburn today, joining the likes of [autotag]TJ Lindsey[/autotag], [autotag]Joseph Phillips[/autotag], and [autotag]Amon Lane-Ganus[/autotag]. Auburn has also added Florida flips [autotag]Jamonta Waller[/autotag] and [autotag]Amaris Williams[/autotag] as defensive signees.

The linebacker from Clanton is Auburn’s fourth-highest rated signee of the 2024 class. He is the No. 5 overall linebacker for the cycle, and is the No. 6 overall player from Alabama.

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Auburn flips four-star defensive lineman Amaris Williams from Florida

Aubutn has signed four-star defensive lineman Amaris Williams after he flipped from Florida.

[autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag] and Auburn have done it again, flipping yet another elite prospect from an SEC rival.

For the second time this recruiting cycle they stole a top-100 defender from the Florida Gators, this time it was defensive lineman [autotag]Amaris Williams[/autotag]. The 6-foot-3, 270-pounder had been committed to the Gators since June but Auburn made a late push and after hosting him on a visit, became the team to beat.

He made it official on the first day of the early signing period, signing with the Tigers and becoming Auburn’s fifth flip of the cycle and the 12 official signee of the day.

Williams is the No. 79 overall player and No. 12 defensive lineman in the 247Sports composite ranking. The Clinton product is also the No. 1 player from North Carolina.

Stay up-to-date with the latest signing day news by checking out Auburn Wire’s early signing period tracker.

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Auburn flips 4-star DL commit from Florida on early signing day

The Gator Nation gets another hit of bad news as this blue-chip D-liner flips to another orange and blue school.

The opening of college football’s early signing period has been filled with mostly good news, but there have been a couple of blemishes on the Florida Gators’ efforts so far. After learning that their five-star defensive lineman commit is putting a pause on making his final decision, another blue-chipper on the D-line flipped to a fellow Southeastern Conference school.

Four-star defensive lineman [autotag]Amaris Williams[/autotag] out of Clinton (North Carolina) committed to the Orange and Blue back in June but appears to have had cold feet when it came time to put the ink to the paper. The 6-foot-3-inch, 270-pound trench warrior made a last-minute decision to choose a different school with similar colors in the Auburn Tigers.

“The chance to play early and the people I get to be around every day,” Williams told 247Sports. “Especially the coaches I get to be coached by. Coach JG (Jeremy Garrett), Coach Trell (Vontrell King-Williams) and Coach Freeze.”

It seems that Florida had an inside edge, but a weak showing on the field this season and the resulting personnel moves apparently had a negative effect on his view of UF.

“I’m really big on culture and how people are to me. That’s really one of the reasons I committed to UF,” Williams admitted. “But seeing all the changes that they’ve had and everything like that, it’s really a downfall for me. So knowing that Auburn has really good people and knowing they have a sustainable staff when it comes to the next three to five years is really good for me.

“It’s good to know I can come here and be around really good people and have coaches who are going to be here for a very long time.”

Williams is ranked No. 79 overall and No. 12 at his position nationally according to the 247Sports composite while the On3 industry ranking has him at Nos. 83 and 12, respectively.

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Auburn trending for 4-star DL committed to Florida

Auburn is looking to flip several players from Florida and one expert believes they will be successful with Amaris Williams.

Stop me if you’ve heard this before, but Auburn is pushing to flip a defensive lineman committed to the Florida Gators.

This time it’s four-star prospect [autotag]Amaris Williams[/autotag] and one recruiting expert believes the Tigers will pull off the flip. On Monday, On3’s Jeffrey Lee predicted that he would ultimately sign with [autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag] and Auburn.

Auburn was not involved with Williams when he committed to the Gators back in June but defensive line coach [autotag]Jeremey Garrett[/autotag] has given the Tigers a chance ahead of the early signing period. 

The prediction comes after Williams officially visited Auburn on Monday and admitted that “Auburn has a big chance right now.” The prediction gives Auburn a 30.6% chance to land Williams, according to On3’s recruiting prediction machine. That is behind Ohio State, who has a 62.2% chance thanks to several predictions in their favor.

However, those predictions were made in November, before he visited Auburn. 

Williams is the No. 90 overall player and No. 12 defensive lineman in the On3 industry ranking. The Clinton product is the No. 2 player from North Carolina.

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4-star DL Amaris Williams: ‘Auburn has a big chance right now’

Auburn is looking to flip a second four-star defender from the Florida Gators.

[autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag] and Auburn’s coaching staff made several big additions last year during the early signing period and they are looking to do so once again. One of their top targets is four-star defensive lineman [autotag]Amaris Williams[/autotag], who has been committed to Florida since June.

They have already shown the ability to steal a commit from the Gators, flipping four-star edge rusher [autotag]Jamonta Waller[/autotag] earlier this cycle and following an official visit to the Plains, Williams admitted the Tigers could do so once again.

“Auburn has a big chance right now,” Williams told Auburn Undercover’s Christian Clemente. “Even though awhile back I told Coach JG ([autotag]Jeremy Garrett[/autotag]) I wasn’t considering Auburn at the time, I feel like that’s just because I never visited and because of what I had already seen from other colleges. Actually being here today and seeing what it’s all about, it’s a really big chance I could come here.”

Williams is the No. 84 overall player and No. 12 defensive lineman in the 247Sports composite ranking. The Clinton product is also the No. 1 player from North Carolina.

It won’t be easy for Auburn to land Williams, Florida is fighting to hold onto him and Ohio State and Georgia are both pushing for a flip and can’t be counted out.

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