N.C. State, Kentucky likely to get officials from Fla. OL Jamari Williams

Recruiting South Florida is a priority for schools all over the country so it shouldn’t come as a surprise that several Power Five programs are in hot pursuit of three-star Fort Lauderdale (Fla) Cardinal Gibbons offensive lineman Jamari Williams.

“Kentucky is recruiting me really hard,” The 6-foot-3, 280-pound prospect said at the Miami stop of the Rivals 3-Stripe Camp Series presented by adidas over the weekend. “Pittsburgh is also recruiting me and I’m going up to N.C. State for a visit on Feb. 23.”

Making it to Raleigh for a visit is a priority for Williams, mainly because of the effort put in by the Wolfpack coaches over the past few months.

“I just want to keep the lines of communication open because it’s a real good school,” Williams said. “They will probably get an official visit so I’ll go up now and that will sort of be a preview.”

Williams said he’s been impressed with the pitch from the Wolfpack staff as well as the frequency of communications.

“Coach Ledford recruits my position and I’ve met him a few times,” Williams said. “He loves his offensive line and calls them his band of brothers and tells me that I would fit in well.”

The success N.C. State had on the field this season combined with Ledford’s track record of player development has also impressed Williams.

“They had a great season and they have a lot guys going to the NFL combine,” Williams said. “I was watching that closely. It shows that they have good coaches and they know talent. Coach Ledford, he’s a great coach and he knows what he’s talking about. I went up there for the camp and he taught me a lot of good things as well.”

Kentucky is heavily in the mix for many of the same reasons, with coach relationships clearly playing a major role.

Coach Gran is recruiting me extremely hard and Coach Schlarman, the offensive line coach, we talk a lot,” Williams said. “I call him once a week and we talk on the phone. That was a big offer for me, an SEC program and a powerhouse school.”

The Wildcats 2018 class saw a huge haul from the state of Florida and Williams said that also caught his attention.

“That means a lot to me,” Williams said. “I’ve seen a lot of 2018 guys going from Florida to Kentucky and they’re trying to bring that swagger up there.”

Williams said he’s set for at least one visit to Lexington this spring, but it likely won’t be his only trip to the Blue Grass State.

“I’m going up there April 13 for their spring game,” he said. “And of course they’ll be getting an official visit later.”

Williams added that getting a chance to play in the SEC is also a major plus for the Wildcast.

“The play in the SEC would be huge,” he said. “It’s the best conference in college football so I know it would give me a lot of exposure. It would be great.”

While Williams already has several major offers, he said he’s hoping his list will grow soon. He’s hoping to camp at schools like Miami and Nebraska and is hoping offers come from both programs.

“I love Nebraska,” Williams said. “I got to deal with Coach Frost when he was at UCF. He’s a good guy and he’s a good coach, too. They offered me when they were at UCF so when they come see me when the spring that's an offer I’m hoping to get. That’s one I want.”