Rivals250 pass rusher Solomon Williams tabs Texas A&M
One of the top uncommitted pass rusher recruits coming into the day has found a home.
Solomon Williams, the blue-chipper out of Tampa (Fla.) Carrollwood Day School, announced a verbal commitment with intent to sign with Mike Elko and Texas A&M on Wednesday afternoon.
The Aggies, which hosted Williams for a second official visit just last weekend, edged Alabama and many others for the productive senior defender.
"They’ve been very constant ever since they offered and every time I’m on campus the players treat me like I’m one of them and on the team," Williams told Rivals previously. "They've shown production with the OLB role with Coop (Edgerrin Cooper) and Shemar Turner this year and them also being top ten in the country in my major really helps."
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What it means
Elko inherited a great class and while some of its top talent may wait until February to ink, landing a recruit like Williams feels fitting due to the turnover on the current roster. The program was so loaded within the front seven, as Williams eluded to in his feel towards the program, yet many have departed since the coaching transition went down. On the current Aggie commitment list, the pass rushing spots are occupied by larger prospects, so a compact, leverage type like the newest Aggie offers some variance in the class.
Williams is the second-straight Floridian defender to pick Texas A&M, following the program's surprising win for Kendall Jackson on Tuesday afternoon. He and Williams each have edge traits, though Jackson has a larger frame that can even carry more good mass, so the two probably project as a compliment of one another. The new pledge of Williams also brings in another Rivals250 talent for the top 20 class, marking 11 commitments in the ranking to date.
What Williams brings to A&M
A versatile end of the line defender, Williams brings production and high-floor value to the Aggie class. As an upperclassman, he has 23.5 sacks and 53 tackles for loss to his name against rock solid Tampa-area competition on Friday nights. He helped CDS to a deep playoff run as a senior before falling to state runner-up Clearwater (Fla.) Central Catholic. Before that point, he showcased elite bend and leverage talent on the edge, in addition to a head-turning first step.
Williams can rack up the sacks by beating blockers with speed and low power, but he also showcases upper-body strength in running through the opposition on occasion. His edge arsenal includes a power move, a swift spin and great redirection ability from a stand-up perspective. Williams can also put his hand in the dirt and come down the line with wins as a back-side run defender. Operating a bit more in space against the pass may round out his game in the SEC.