Sooners, Vols stand out to in-demand receiver

HOLLYWOOD, Fla. – Recruiting is full of semantics. It’s why it Xavier Williams’ take on his own recruitment is less than surprising. The Hollywood (Fla.) Chaminade-Madonna wide receiver has a long list of scholarship offers to his name. He refuses to name a group of frontrunners when asked. He doesn’t much mind discussing which schools have “the edge,” however.

The actual difference between the terms is fuzzy at best. Then, so is the nature of recruiting.

“Everyone is the same,” Williams, a top 2018 prospect, said on Tuesday. “Everyone is showing the same amount of love, but Oklahoma and Tennessee get the edge right now.”

Tennessee was represented at Williams’ spring practice on Tuesday. Volunteers assistant Zach Azzanni’s midweek visit is representative of the reasons behind the program’s success with Williams.

What sets the Sooners and Vols apart from the rest of the pack after his commitment? Williams says that’s an easy question.

“I think it’s just how welcomed I feel by them,” Williams said. “The coaches are welcoming and they show a lot of love.”

WHAT’S NEXT: Williams plans to visit Clemson, Georgia, Georgia Southern, South Carolina and others this offseason.

IN HIS WORDS: “I want Baylor, Clemson and Florida,” Williams said. “I want those offers and I want to visit those places, too. They are just places I’m real interested in – interested to see.”

RIVALS REACTION: It’s early for Williams, a class-of-2018 prospect, but the Sooners and Vols are off to a great start with the South Florida-based wide receiver. It’s hard to project the direction of his recruitment at such an early stage, as Williams is likely to see more schools enter the picture in the near future.