Ranking the Contenders: Gentry Williams
The No. 2-ranked player in the state of Oklahoma - Gentry Williams - has the Sooners among his top six.
Could he end up becoming teammates with the No. 1 prospect in the state, high four-star receiver Talyn Shettron?
Williams, a Tulsa (Okla.) Booker T. Washington four-star cornerback, listed USC, Missouri, LSU, Arkansas, Florida and Oklahoma as his favorites in recent days, and the next step will be narrowing it down to his final choice.
In today’s Ranking The Contenders, we look at Williams’ six frontrunners and put them in order of likelihood where he will commit.
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1. OKLAHOMA
The Sooners could be tough to beat. Really tough. Williams grew up an Oklahoma fan and his mom went to school in Norman. The in-state prospect has also been to campus and has developed a strong relationship with coach Lincoln Riley. In a SoonerScoop story from last summer, Williams said, “it’s been OU since Day 1.” Not only is the Booker T. Washington standout a fan of the Oklahoma program but the Sooners could use his talent and athletic ability at cornerback almost immediately on a defense that is still rebuilding.
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2. FLORIDA
If there’s a team that could pull an upset in Williams’ recruitment it could be Florida. There are numerous reasons for that. A virtual visit on March 8 could've been really convincing, and Williams is building a relationship with new assistant coach Garrick McGee, who also attended Tulsa Booker T. Washington. That could be an important connection, plus Florida is one of only two schools - along with Ole Miss (which didn’t make his top list) - that is recruiting Williams at wide receiver. If Williams can be convinced he could be the next Kadarius Toney, then the Gators should stay very high on the list.
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3. USC
The feeling with USC is that the Trojans are battling for Williams, selling the brand-building opportunities in Los Angeles and top-notch recruiter and associate head coach Donte Williams is doing everything possible to keep the Trojans high on the list. Will it be enough? A visit to California would definitely be a major step for USC, and Williams can never be counted out of a recruitment since he’s landed some high-level players since joining the staff.
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4. ARKANSAS
The state of Oklahoma is prime recruiting territory for second-year coach Sam Pittman, and that was evident in the Razorbacks’ 2021 class. Arkansas signed Williams’ teammate Keaun Parker, and that could be something for the four-star to consider when it comes to the SEC school. The Razorbacks also went across town to Tulsa Union for AJ Green and they recruit the state hard. The Arkansas coaching staff is coming hard after Williams, but it definitely trails some other schools.
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5. LSU
Corey Raymond can never be counted out of a recruitment, and LSU’s cornerbacks coach has developed a good relationship with Williams, but the Tigers already have three defensive backs committed. That could be an issue, and then LSU is also targeting Earl Little Jr., Chris Graves and others. That doesn't mean the coaches don’t like Williams, but they must feel others have a better shot at landing him.
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6. MISSOURI
Missouri might be a long shot to land Williams, but there are some significant connections to the Tigers since the four-star really likes coach Eli Drinkwitz, plus he’s hit it off with position coach Aaron Fletcher for years. Javian Hester is a former high school teammate and someone to bounce ideas off of, so Missouri has a shot. They're a long shot, but there are reasons why the Tigers made his top six.