LSU lands early commitment from four-star 2024 safety Maurice Williams Jr.
After working out for LSU on Friday, Alvin (Texas) Shadow Creek four-star safety Maurice Williams committed to Brian Kelly and the Tigers, becoming their first commit in the 2024 class.
The commitment was something Williams had in mind when he arrived in Baton Rouge on Friday, and after a conversation with the coaching staff, it was a done deal.
"We came here hoping that we could talk to the head coach and see, and he gave me the go-ahead," Williams said. "Then it was like, why not?"
Despite being from Texas, there's a sense of familiarity for Williams at LSU as he was able to easily connect with the culture and people around campus.
"It was just a lot of fun here," he said. "After Hurricane Katrina, a lot of people from out here moved to Houston so I'm pretty used to the people here, it just feels like a second home. Everything is right, the vibe is right. I feel like the coaching staff wants me here and I want to be somewhere where I'm wanted."
Williams eyed LSU as a kid and the interest became more serious as time went on and more defensive backs continued to shine on Sundays after playing for the Tigers.
"As a kid, I loved LSU," he said. "The colorway is what really got me, but as I got older and started playing defensive back, I fell in love with DBU and the history here with DBs. It's rare to find a college that's putting out DBs like that every year. That was something that was big for us."
The coaching staff, headed up by safeties coach Kerry Cooks, instantly made Williams feel at home.
"When we talked, we instantly connected," Williams said. "[Cooks] is a genuine and down-to-earth guy, and when he needs to get on me, he'll correct what needs to get corrected."
His appreciation for the coaching staff extends to the head man himself as he sees Brian Kelly turning the program around as he has done before.
"He's been coaching for a while and he has the history of turning programs around and making programs great," he said. "This is not his first rodeo with stuff like this, he's done good things in the past and he'll take it into the future."
As for what LSU fans can expect, Williams says he wants to bring a certain level of energy back to the defensive back room.
"I'm gonna bring that energy, that love. I'm gonna turn the city up."
At 6-foot-2, 190 pounds, Williams is the No. 63 ranked recruit in the country for the class of 2024, according to Rivals. He is the No. 3 safety in the country and the No. 11 recruit from the state of Texas.