Fast-rising Atlanta DB Seth Williams says he’s down to Clemson and Georgia
Lakeside High School safety Seth Williams just picked up his fourth star from 247Sports.
The 6-foot-3, 185-pounder has more than 50 offers. And Williams has plus length. That was evident Wednesday at Georgia State’s 7-on-7 camp, where he made six interceptions.
Williams, who previously committed to Clemson, said this week that he’s basically down to the Tigers and Georgia and is likely done with official visits. He has a July 3 commitment in mind.
Florida is trying to get him to change that. While his Lakeside Vikings will be at UGA on Friday for its 7-on-7, the Gators want to bring him to Gainesville afterward.
Auburn, LSU, Ohio State and Texas Tech all reached out Wednesday, trying to get in the mix. Those schools are telling him he could take an official visit during the season.
That is a lot of buzz for a player who was previously rated as a 3-star prospect. The recruiting rankings are playing catch-up with all these power programs. He’s the nation’s No. 38 safety and No. 450 overall prospect per the 247Sports composite. The Rivals Industry Ranking has him as the No. 85 safety and No. 832 overall.
Georgia views him as a top-of-the-board target. Williams said he hears from an on-field coach at UGA every day. That’s usually Andrew Thacker, who coaches nickels and stars.
Williams thought about it for a minute, then said no one recruits him like Thacker — not to that depth and frequency. He said it feels like a “family member or an uncle” type of connection.
“Thacker always tells me that I am one of those kids who just play with that chip (on their shoulder) that they need,” Williams said. “He always tells me to never get complacent.”
His interest in UGA has a lot to do with the development history of Georgia safeties coach Travaris Robinson. “Being able to be developed as a player and somebody who’ll pull the best out of me,” he said.
Williams is a relationships guy. “Those bonds are strong” with Georgia, he said.
“Relationships are built with time, and I feel like Georgia has been recruiting me for awhile,” he said. “It has just been that time. All that time.”
Why Georgia is making Seth Williams a priority
There are verified track times showing Williams running an 11.16-second time in the 100 meters, but he has said he’s clocked times in the 10.8-10.9 range. He’s physical, too.
What really stands out is how he’s wired. He said he would play football if it paid him less than six figures per year. That’s how much he loves the game.
“I realized I’d grow up with regret every day if I couldn’t play football,” he said. “It was just this mindset like, ‘Hey, bro, if I could just go play football and be able to live like a regular person, I would do it,’ because that’s how much I love the game.”
Williams listed all the things he’s missed out on: Birthdays. Funerals. Reunions. Vacations. But then said, “I wouldn’t change any of it” because he did it for football.
“When it all falls down, you’ve got the girlfriend that cheated on you,” he said, “or that friend group that is just leaving you out. At the end of the day, you know what is never going to leave you? Them cleats. That ball. Whatever you have to do to work. It takes discipline to really put in the work.”
Seth Williams says he rushed his prior commitment
He acknowledged a misstep when he committed to Clemson on March 24. He de-committed April 9.
“Some things in life you just rush,” he said.
Georgia has told him learning the playbook will be the hardest part of the transition to college.
“It is only hard when you don’t want to do something, or you don’t love it,” he said. “It’s not hard to eat your favorite food every day, is it? It would never be hard. So, for me, it can’t really be hard.”
The Bulldogs did make a move for him during his weekend official visit.
“Georgia is the University of Georgia for a reason,” he said. “They produce great players. They’re a great school. Great coaching staff. They’re just great all around. ... The players that they bring it to compete with and be around those guys. You’ll understand why they produce guys like KJ Bolden and Malaki Starks.”
He said his decision will be “really, really tough.”
Clemson treats him “like a family.” That’s the draw there.
“Just be able to come in and produce early on in the ACC,” he said. “Just be able to connect that Atlanta-to-Clemson pipeline.”
Check out his junior film below.