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Sidney Williams is looking for a place to call home. Last weekend that search included Tuscaloosa, Ala., as the class of 2020 three-star athlete visited Alabama’s campus for Junior Day.
“I just wanted to view the school a little bit more and get a little more detailed,” Williams said. “I wanted to see how a regular day for a student-athlete goes—how they wake up in the morning, what they eat. I saw that they took really good interest in their student-athletes—the grades, the strength coach and other things. It was a really good experience just walking around campus seeing a lot of things, how their building and things are set up.
“They say they have a trainer in your dorm so if you hurt yourself stretching at night before you lay dow, the trainer can help you. That’s a very good thing. A lot of other schools don’t have that.”
While he’s yet to receive an Alabama offer, Williams has all the makings of a prototypical Crimson Tide cornerback. Last season, the 6-foot-2, 200-pound playmaker helped lead Vigor High School to the Alabama Class 5A state championship, recording 23 tackles, two pass break-ups and an interception on defense while tallying 23 receptions for 351 yards and six touchdowns on offense.
Along with touring Alabama’s facilities, Williams said he spoke with several Crimson Tide coaches, including defensive backs coach Karl Scott and newly-hired Charles Kelly, who is expected to also work with the secondary this season. Kelly previously recruited Williams at Tennessee, while incoming receivers coach Holman Wiggans recruited him while at Virginia Tech.
“They told me they liked the way I played,” Williams said of his conversations with Scott and Kelly. “They like that I’m physical and my ability to run. They like my size. They just told me they they’re going to keep evaluating me.”
Given his size, Williams could play either cornerback or safety at the next level. So far, Alabama coaches haven’t indicated where they see him. Williams said he feels comfortable at either position and stated he’d “play anything to help the team” wherever he goes.
Williams currently holds 12 college offers, including four from SEC schools in Auburn, LSU, Ole Miss and Tennessee. The in-state prospect said he’s hoping to add to that tally with an offer from Alabama in the near future.
“That would be very good. It’s two schools that are out there that are on my list, and that’s Alabama and Clemson,” Williams said. “It’s going to be those two who are fighting to get into my top 5.”
Williams called his visit to Alabama “great” and said he was treated like family. However, as of now, he’s still not ready to name the Crimson Tide a favorite.
“For right now, the experience they gave me, it was a very good experience,” Williams said. “I don’t want to just say they won me over yet, but they have shown me signs that they do care about their student-athletes.”
Williams is visiting Auburn this weekend. He plans to visit Tennessee on Feb. 16 and might also make a visit to Troy later this month.
“I want someone that treats me like family. I want to get to know them and they get to know me,” Williams said. “It’s way more than football. I want someone I can come talk to if I have problems or anything. I’m just looking for a good relationship with coaches at a place I can spend my next four or five years.”
