Fact or Fiction: Texas A&M is a real threat to land Williams Nwaneri
Rivals national recruiting director Adam Gorney and national recruiting analyst John Garcia Jr. – along with Mark Passwaters of AggieYell.com and Cole Patterson of OrangeBloods.com – tackle three topics and determine whether they believe each statement is FACT or FICTION.
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1. Texas A&M is now a real threat to Oklahoma and Tennessee for Williams Nwaneri.
Gorney’s take: FACT. Nwaneri, who could be poised for a bump to five-star status, loved his visit to Texas A&M, and while I’ll admit there could be some post-visit high going on here, if the Aggies get him back on campus heading into his senior season then they could become even more of a major player. The longer Nwaneri’s recruitment goes, the better for Texas A&M, especially if the Aggies finally turn the corner on the field this season. I still think Oklahoma will be very tough to beat but now the Sooners not only have to look over their shoulder at a surging Tennessee program but also at the Aggies.
Passwaters’ take: FICTION. For now. There’s no question that A&M has gone from off the radar to a serious contender, but that’s just one visit. When the buzz wears off he may feel a little differently. But if he returns later this summer, which appears likely, then look out. You can’t overlook the Aggies in this one anymore.
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2. Alabama should be concerned that Ryan Williams keeps visiting Georgia.
Gorney’s take: FACT. There should definitely be some concern that the No. 1 receiver in the 2025 class has now taken multiple visits to Georgia. The idea of playing with Dylan Raiola and for the back-to-back national champions is definitely appealing.
But I also think some of this is getting pretty overblown. Alabama has done a far better job over time developing receivers for the NFL, and while that might change in the coming years under coach Kirby Smart, Alabama can run out Julio Jones, Jerry Jeudy, Jaylen Waddle and so many others.
Also, playing with Raiola is a huge draw but it’s possible – if not probable – that the Crimson Tide could also land not only Williams from Saraland, Ala., but also his quarterback in four-star KJ Lacey. That chemistry cannot be underappreciated.
There is a lot to watch when it comes to Williams, especially with Georgia, but I still think Alabama is in a phenomenal position to keep him in the class.
Garcia’s take: FACT. Two key elements of the recruiting process come to mind here – talent and time. From a talent perspective, few recruits in any current recruiting class are as coveted as the first sophomore to ever win Mr. Football in the state of Alabama. The Auburn legacy continues to get a push from the in-state rival of Alabama, and Georgia has seemingly moved up to equal positioning over the last several months. There is an apparent UGA push to bring in the type of offensive skill talent to compensate for its unmatched recruiting on the defensive side of the football, and the wide receiver room has become a major focal point in the process – and few, if any, bring more to the table at the position in the 2025 cycle than Williams.
The other element that should concern Alabama fans is of course time. Williams is a rising-junior recruit who has been taking droves of trips to both Georgia and Auburn, among others, some 19 months before the earliest point he could wrap up his recruiting in an official capacity with a National Letter of Intent. Throw in factors what Georgia can bring to the table against 'Bama at the moment, including that increasingly intriguing throwing session with Raiola last weekend, and that traction seems to have not only solid footing but legitimate growth potential with just so many more opportunities to get Williams back on campus.
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3. Five-star DE Colin Simmons is now more open than ever in his recruitment.
Gorney’s take: FACT. Maybe it’s as simple as LSU vs. Texas for the five-star defensive end, but now with visits to Miami and Oregon in June things are getting a little more dicey. I also suspect Texas A&M is going to make a run at him as well, which could be interesting. I still think LSU is the team to beat and the team that Simmons has talked about more than any other. He has also said numerous times how interested he is in playing in the SEC. But his June visit schedule – and pushing out a commitment – makes things a little more interesting.
Patterson’s take: FICTION. Simmons is definitely open in his recruitment and is looking forward to taking a handful of official visits in the coming months as he makes the most of the process. But I’m not sure he’s any more open than he has been previously. Texas and LSU are still serious contenders as they jockey for position, with Alabama, Texas A&M, Oregon and Miami also lurking. This is a recruitment that could go all the way to the finish line as Simmons has no timeline for a decision and is in no rush to shut things down.