Williams down to Mizzou, ND
An offer from Notre Dame earlier this month was something Missouri defensive end commitment Jhonathon Williams had to check out before signing a letter of intent. He took that official visit this weekend.
"I came out a lot more aware of what Notre Dame actually was. It was a great experience," Williams said. "Obviously the game was pretty nice. Meeting with the coaches and players and getting to know everybody was pretty nice."
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One unexpected aspect of the trip was the famous father connections Williams experienced because of who his player-hosts were.
"My player host was Jesse Bongiovi, which was pretty cool," Williams said. "I actually didn't even know he was [Jon] Bon Jovi's son until a day after me and him hung out. That was pretty cool and I was kind of tight with him. Then, I was with Torii Hunter Jr., whose dad is a [Major League] baseball player.
"But I was with the whole team after the game and got to know everybody. It was really welcoming."
The athletic 6-foot-5, 220-pound Williams has played primarily defensive end and wide receiver/tight end for his high school team. Notre Dame has him pegged for a an outside linebacker role in their defense, specifically the role currently manned by Prince Shembo.
"I do [like] pinning my ears back and chasing the quarterback," Williams said.
This weekend's trip has now presented Williams with a tough decision between the team he committed to in September or the one he just visited.
"I am still committed to Missouri," Williams said. "I like Notre Dame, and my final decision is going to come down to Notre Dame and Mizzou. I haven't put a deadline on it, but when it comes to me, I'll know."
The drive from Williams hometown of Berrien Springs, Mich., to Notre Dame's campus only takes a half hour, but distance is not a consideration as he makes his decision.
"To be honest, I don't really have a preference on whether a school is 30,000 miles away or 30, so that's not really a plus or a negative to me," he said.
Williams has already taken his official visit to Missouri, but he may get one more trip in to Columbia before rendering a final verdict.
"I think I am going to take one more unofficial to Missouri," Williams said. "This week against Texas A&M I think that is their last [home game], so I am really going to try to get down there for that game. Probably after that I will make that decision between Notre Dame and Missouri."
Michigan had also offered Williams in the last couple weeks, but the three-star prospect said he is not considering the Wolverines as he makes his final decision.