Williams recruitment takes off
Berrien Springs, Mich., defensive end Jhonathon Williams' junior year did not start off as planned, but now almost a year later he is one of the hottest football recruits in the state of Michigan.
"My older brother is in the military and he got injured [last summer], so he had to go to Washington D.C," Williams said. "I was there all summer and my first day back was my first game, so I didn't have the best season."
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Although Williams may have been unimpressed with his junior campaign, video from that season is sparking much of the current interest he is seeing from college programs. The only camp he attended this summer yielded offers from Toledo and Ball State.
"I attended one camp and that was at Michigan State. I guess that is how this all started," Williams said. "It has pretty much exploded. A lot of coaches and teams know my name now, so it is different than it was just a few months ago."
Missouri has since come through with an offer for Williams, and a visit to Columbia has been scheduled.
"I got contacted by Coach [Craig Kuligowski] and a few days later they had decided to offer me," Williams said. "I don't know much about them, but I know they are a great school and know they are SEC. During the dead week [next] week I am going down to visit them."
Additional BCS schools are showing interest, and more offers appear to be on the horizon for the fast-rising defensive end.
"I am getting interest from Nebraska and Iowa State. They have asked for highlight videos," Williams said. "I had interest from Michigan State after that one-day camp too."
Williams initially decided to commit to Toledo for football immediately after being offered by the Rockets, but is now wide open with his recruiting process in the wake of the influx of attention from colleges.
"This whole football recruiting process - I am new to it," Williams noted. "A few months ago I still thought I was going to be a basketball player [in college]. It's made me get out there more and try to market myself and get more exposure."
The 6-foot-6, 230-pound Williams is also a first team all-conference basketball player and was all-state in track for the high jump and shot put. He has decided, though, that his future will be in football. And as for his family, Williams noted his brother is doing much better now.