5-Star Safety Recruit James Williams Commits to Miami over Georgia, More

Highly touted safety James Williams re-committed to Miami on Tuesday.

Williams is the No. 1 athlete and No. 9 player in the 2021 recruiting class, per 247Sports' composite rankings. The Opa Locka native is also the best player in the state of Florida.

He originally committed to Miami but reversed his decision last May.

Williams told the Sun Sentinel's Adam Lichtenstein last June that 2020 recruit Justin Hodges, who had committed to Miami, was doing his best to lobby on the Hurricanes' behalf.

"He calls my phone at random times: 'Commit back, man,'" he said. "But I'm just enjoying the process."

Williams' decision looked prescient as the Hurricanes labored to a 6-7 record in 2019, a season that included an embarrassing loss to Florida International and a shutout at the hands of Louisiana Tech in the Independence Bowl.

Hodges decommitted from Miami as well and signed with UCF.

Patrick Surtain, a three-time Pro Bowl cornerback in the NFL, coached Williams as a sophomore at American Heritage School in Plantation, Florida, before the 5-star safety transferred to Western High School. He has since moved back to Heritage.

At 6'5" and 218 pounds, Williams has great size for his position, and Surtain explained to The Athletic's Manny Navarro how his skills go well beyond that:

"I think the thing that separates him is his football IQ. I know he has all the measurables, but his understanding of football at this age is something pretty special and you rarely see it in high school. With all the defense we run, he's the head, he's talking with everybody, putting them in the right position and that's rare for a guy who just turned 16 years old. He's the team leader. I've seen him grow in that aspect."

Former Clemson star Isaiah Simmons represents the best of what Williams could become at the next level.

Coming out of high school, Simmons was a 3-star recruit and the No. 25 safety in the 2016 class, per 247Sports' composite rankings. Clemson turned him into a linebacker/safety hybrid who terrorized opposing offenses. Simmons led the team in tackles, tackles for loss and sacks, and he was second in interceptions.

That's the kind of impact Williams can have for Miami's defense, and don't be surprised if he makes an immediate impact for the Hurricanes in 2021.

Williams told InsideTheU's Andrew Ivins that Miami remained an option despite his having already spurned the school.

The program hired former star Ed Reed as its chief of staff in January, which allowed him to serve a wide range of duties in an official capacity. Even though Williams wasn't born when Reed prowled the Hurricanes secondary, his on-field exploits are legendary to fans young and old.

Williams had also said to Ivins by joining Miami he "could learn from the greatest," referring to Reed.

Bringing the Hall of Famer into the fold appears to be paying dividends for the Canes.