2017 Archer DB Jamyest Williams will be one of the nation’s elite at his position. (Joshua Jones / Special to the AJC)
Archer cornerback Jamyest Williams needs a do-over on his Top 10 list. Blame a fantastic Dawg Night performance for that.
The 5-second version: Williams now knows UGA sees him as a cornerback of the highest caliber and defensive coordinator Jeremy Pruitt likes him so much he'd probably let him babysit his newborn. Williams said that UGA will vault at least four spots on his revised list.
“They are definitely back in the mix,” Jamyest Williams told the AJC. “Definitely Top 5.”
Williams released his Top 10 earlier this month and placed UGA ninth for two reasons: 1) He had a UGA offer, but wasn’t sure what position that was for; 2) The 5-foot-9 Williams also didn’t know how Pruitt felt about him. Pruitt has an affinity for big and rangy corners.
Those issues were all locked down after Dawg Night. Williams only gave up one catch at Dawg Night. He also told the AJC his father had an informative back-and-forth with Pruitt afterward.
“Everyone knows Pruitt likes the long lanky corners that fit his scheme that goes along with having big linemen and big linebackers,” his father J.J. Williams said.
Williams told the AJC that UGA is now in his Top 5. (Rob Saye / Special to the AJC)
But Williams said that Pruitt made a comparison between his son and Florida State great Lamarcus Joyner. Joyner measured 5 feet, 8 inches, played outstanding football for Pruitt and went on to become a second-round pick in the 2014 NFL Draft.
“He said Jamyest can definitely play corner for him,” Pruitt said. “He said regardless of what anybody says about his size he could care less. He basically told him he was definitely one of the top guys in the defensive back class. He told us that even before he spoke to us that he was already raving to Mark Richt about Jamyest and how he wants him to play corner for Georgia.”
That cinched it.
“Pruitt said Jamyest was definitely one of the top guys on their board at any position in 2017 but in his eyes he was a cornerback,” his father said. “That pretty much sealed the deal for us. That was what we needed to hear and was the reason why UGA was ninth on his list.”
His father said Williams gave up one catch across approximately 15 reps at Dawg Night. It was on an inside route that would never been attempted in a real game. That came after not giving up a single catch earlier in the week at a prospect camp at Florida State. Williams also made the All-Tournament team at The Opening earlier this month.
The four-star prospect already has the perfect nickname. Everyone calls the 5-foot-9, 170-pounder “Jam” and that’s ideal for a press cornerback who has to jam receivers up coming off the ball.
The Williams family lived in Athens growing up. They moved to Gwinnett when he was in the seventh grade.
“He’s definitely a hometown Athens kid,” his father said. “Georgia will always have a spot in his heart. Some of his friends still live there and go to school there.”
Jeff Sentell covers UGA recruiting for AJC.com and The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Follow him on Twitter for the latest on who’s on their way to play Between the Hedges.
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