Recruiting Battle: Tyleik Williams

Update: Tyleik Williams has committed to Ohio State.

The Contenders:

Tyleik Williams announced his top six on twitter on June 24, 2020. He has not announced when he will be making his commitment. Here is a quick tale of the tape for the top six teams. For his scouting report click here.

Why Alabama?

The Tide have been at the peak of the college football world and on the recruiting trail for over a decade under Head Coach Nick Saban. No one has won more game over the last ten years than Alabama. Williams is aware of how well the Tide get defensive linemen drafted (#2 in our DLU rankings). The Tide are in the playoff picture every year and have a lot to offer Williams, but it remains to be seen if Damon Payne’s commitment impacts the numbers here.

Why LSU?

LSU is coming off a national championship season but lost a lot of players to the NFL. Coach Ed Orgeron has always been known as a good recruiter but had a breakthrough season on the field in 2019. The Tigers reload annually in recruiting and this cycle has been no different. The Tigers have been strong on the defensive line as well and have put their fair share of defensive linemen in the NFL. LSU signed three defensive tackles last cycle and already has a commitment from one in 2020 and is heavily involved with Maason Smith, so the numbers may be a hold up at the moment.

Why North Carolina?

Head Coach Mack Brown returned to Chapel Hill and had a good first season back on the job. North Carolina is ranked #11 in our DLU rankings having a done a good job getting defensive lineman drafted. Defensive line coach Tim Cross has a good relationship with Williams and is in regular contact with the star recruit. Chapel Hill is not much farther from home than Virginia Tech which is the closest school to Williams’ hometown. The Tar Heels are a rising program and are building the team into a contender quickly.

Why Ohio State?

Defensive line coach Larry Johnson is one of the best in the business and has been putting defensive lineman in the NFL at an incredible rate (the Buckeyes are #3 in our DLU rankings). Ohio State is one of the elite programs in college football and has shown no sign of slowing down. Williams has been on the Buckeyes radar for a while and has a good bond with the aforementioned Johnson. Ohio State is hoping to get Williams on campus when they are allowed to have visits again to continue to build the relationship.

Why South Carolina?

The Gamecocks have landed a top defensive tackle in each of the last two recruiting cycles. They have done well getting defensive linemen drafted as well (Javon Kinlaw this past draft) and rank #15 in our DLU rankings. The Gamecocks defensive line has performed well despite some of the struggles the program has had recently and Williams would be a good fit upfront. South Carolina plays in the SEC and offers the opportunity to compete with some of the best players in the country on a weekly basis.

Why Virginia Tech?

For starters the Hokies are the closest to home of Williams’ finalists. Several players from Williams’ high school have gone on to Virginia Tech including defensive tackle Tim Settle and defensive backs Greg Stroman and Reggie Floyd. Williams is comfortable with the new defensive line coaches in Blacksburg, and feels like they can help him reach his goal of playing in the NFL. The Hokies did not have any defensive tackles signed in the 2020 cycle and there is a cleaner path to early playing time in Blacksburg. There is a familiarity and comfort with the Virginia Tech program that bodes well for the Hokies in this battle.

Here is our scouting report on Williams.

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