Top Louisiana 4-Star 2020 OLB Brandon Williams Talks Offseason and Recruiting Visits
Written by Ryan Wright
Twitter: @RyanWrightRNG
Even with a toe injury that became a foot injury, Class of 2020 defensive end/outside linebacker Brandon Williams was so impressive with Isidore Newman High School in 2018 he earned four-star recruiting status. That lofty praise has been backed up by 17 scholarship offers handed to him covering some of the top programs in the nation. The 6-3, 220-pound, versatile defender is high on recruiting boards with top interest still brewing. All is well with Williams and his foot, but now turns his offseason sights on impressing the interested into extending more offers. Williams has not been flippant about the recruiting process visiting several schools and remaining open to the process as he brushes past the awe of elite programs looking for the ‘home feeling’.
In an RNG exclusive interview, Williams and I cover a lot of meaningful ground getting insight to his overall game and offseason goals with a deep discernment on his recruiting process.
Interview
You do a great job of sealing off the edge and collapsing the pocket, what do you feel are some of the other strengths to your game going into the offseason?
“I have great play recognition because I am studious. I know a lot about the team’s players and their offense going into a game. That helps me diagnose plays. I am a very good tackler and I like to hit people. I don’t miss tackles. I get a lot of tackles for loss. My downhill pursuit is a strength, as well as my B-gap blitz. I feel that I am athletic which helps me fire off. My hustle is a big one for me. I have not always been good at football, like during my middle school years, but I have always had hustle and heart.”
Which game last season was your best?
“My best game was… I like all four that I played. But if I had to pick one I would say the East Jefferson game (won 28-6). They are a 5A team and we beat them. I had a really good game against them. I was injured before we started playing all the heavy passing teams on the schedule. I missed out on that this year going against run-heavy teams.”
What did you do in that game to make it your best?
“I was in pain in that game, I had a stress fractures in my foot stemming from a torn ligament in my toe that I was playing on thinking it was turf toe. It was a 5A team, and us being a 2A team and being looked down upon, I made it my mission to represent the defense. They game planned against me, they even had some triple teams against me, but I had a couple of sacks and tackles for a loss. I think I had seven tackles in that game. One was a fourth and one. I was on the edge, the QB read it on an RPO, he QB kept the ball. I went for the QB, stopped him before the first down. That got everyone hyped up.”
Which areas of your game are focused on this offseason?
“This offseason, I am doing a lot of stuff. I am weight lifting, I want to get bigger. Reaching 230 pounds is the goal, but I want to keep my athleticism. I have a trainer that I work with for standup stuff as a linebacker. I will be more of a standup guy this year. I will be playing a lot of linebacker, both middle and outside linebacker. I will be covering a lot, so I am working on my movement. My defensive line trainer is helping me improve my technique. End is still my primary position. I am taking Yoga to get more flexible this year. I want to lower my chance of injury.”
What do you feel separates you from other recruits in your class at the same position?
“My versatility. I am looked at as an outside linebacker on sports sites, and No. 1 in state at my position. I am a natural edge rusher, but I am working on improving my game as an outside linebacker. I am going to camps to prove I can cover running backs and slot receivers in games and in competitive situations. My versatility is what separates me. I can do both, end and outside linebacker. That will end up being valuable in my college career. The more stuff you are better at, the easier it is for college coaches to find a place for you on the field. I practice a lot of different stuff.”
Are you going to any national camps this offseason?
“Yes. I am going to the Nike Opening on March 9 and the Under Armour All-American Camp in New Orleans on the 16th.”
I know you have a lot of offers, how many do you have?
“I have 17 offers.”
Which were the last couple to offer you?
“I think some of the offers people are missing are Mercer, Southeastern, and Jacksonville State. The last three to offer me where Oklahoma State, Miami, and Southern Miss.”
Which schools are showing interest?
“I am receiving interest from LSU, Alabama, South Carolina, Georgia, Auburn, Texas, Houston, Mississippi State, and Ole Miss.”
Which schools have you visited thus far?
“I have been to Tennessee three times, LSU twice, to Georgia for a game and an Elite Junior Day visit – I am hoping to go back for a spring practice in the near future, and I have been to Alabama for a game.”
Lots to cover. Since you’ve been to Tennessee so many times, how have the Tennessee visits gone?
“I love Tennessee. I really feel like the Tennessee coaches, they are some of the best I have been around. They are genuine people, and you can tell they care about their players. Knoxville is a great city. You trust that you are in the right hands there. Coach David Johnson (running backs) has a lot of ties to New Orleans. He is a good guy to talk to. I brought my cousin with me on one of the visits, Coach Johnson talked to him for 30 minutes. They knew a lot of the same people.”
Being in-state, how did the LSU visits go?
“Those visits went very well. LSU, being from New Orleans, it is a dream of mine and my peers to play at LSU. That sticks with me. It feels like home already at LSU. Tennessee feels like home and LSU feels like home to me. LSU being in my home state, it will be interesting if I leave the state. They are transparent with me at LSU. They told me exactly what I need to do get an offer.”
Begs the question, what do you have to do to get the offer?
“The big thing for them after talking to Coach O (Ed Orgeron – head coach), they would have offered me already but they have not seen me play yet. Some of the schools throw out offers because other schools have offered you. LSU doesn’t do that. They want me to attend their June camp. It is a one-hour practice. I will get some reps in and do what I have to do to get an offer.”
Last one on the visits. How did the Alabama visit go?
“It went very well. Alabama is a little tighter. They are very systemic in what they do. Everything they do is for purpose and for a good reason. That is the reason they are so good. Their facilities are impressive. Everything worked out perfectly when I was there on my visit.”
Do you have any planned visits coming up?
“I plan on visiting Florida, Miami wants me to check them out, and I plan on visiting Texas A&M. Other than that, I am not sure where else I may visit. I want to see where recruiting takes me.”
What are college coaches telling you they like about your game?
“They love how I can get after the quarterback. The coaches see that is natural for me. Coach O said I can be the next Arden Key if I go there. They love my hustle and they like that I don’t take plays off. That is a reflection of the program at Newman. They like my versatility. They like my athleticism in the way that I can be and outside or inside linebacker. Tennessee wants to use me at all four linebacker spots.”
With the recruiting process getting a little more serious as you get closer to your senior season, what are the recruiting criteria that are important to you?
“The coaching staff. I want to make sure I have a great relationship with the staff. I see it happen all the time with recruiting, people end up leaving the college they signed with. Players should think through all of it and stay in environment with coaches that feels like home to them. I want to trust that I am in the right hands. I want to be on a team that wants to win. The tradition and the culture of the program is important to me. I want to go to a team that has a good fan base and supporting cast in the community. You can’t get better without support. The people in the community are the ones that enhance your program. The college that I go to will feel like the right one, it will have that home feeling for me.”
Brandon, we covered a lot of ground today, I appreciate your time. Good luck with the upcoming camps.
“Thank you.”
Photo credit: Williams family; Brandon Williams at Tennessee