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4-star Ole Miss commit Sam Williams visited LSU last weekend

The bad news: the Tigers are after the Rebels’ top defensive commit. The good news: he left Baton Rouge still committed.

By Zach Berry
NCAA Football: Georgia at Louisiana State Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports

It’s no secret that Ole Miss needs help on defense. As a unit, they’re sitting at 111th in S&P+ rankings and are simply not getting it done.

Which is why holding on to the commitment of four-star outside linebacker/weak-side defensive end Sam Williams is so crucial to this 2019 class. The big fella from Northeast (Miss.) Community College committed to the Rebs earlier this summer over notable offers from Auburn, Texas A&M, Oregon, and Tennessee among others.

But, as recruiting goes, Sam wants to take his visits. He did just that this weekend.

The No. 6 overall junior college player in the country received an offer from LSU at the end of October and figured he would head down to Baton Rouge to see what was what. Williams got to mix it up with Leonard Fournette on the sideline, but he also saw an overhyped LSU squad get pummeled, 29-0, by Bama.

The good news is that Williams didn’t de-commit or outright flip while he was there. In fact, he apparently spent Sunday dreaming about helping out new Rebel hoops coach Kermit on the hardwood.

He also piled onto this tweet from fellow Ole Miss commit Cam White.

At 6’5, 250 pounds, Williams runs a 4.4, jumps 40”, and with all due respect to the current roster, no one on the defensive side has that repertoire. He dominated NJCAA offenses in 2018, leading the country in sacks with 17.5 and ranking second in tackles for loss (28.5). He plays extremely well in space and tracks down ball carriers with ease. But, he can also mix it up in the trenches. He comes equipped with a powerful punch, a devastating bull rush, and enough quickness to get around the edge.

Williams is currently the Rebels’ highest-rated defensive recruit and, if he makes it to campus, will be an instant impact guy either at defensive end or linebacker. Ole Miss loses Victor Evans and Markel Winters at defensive end after this season to graduation and the linebacker room is the youngest on the field, so his presence will be felt at either place.

Whether defensive line coach Freddie Roach is back next year or not, Matt Luke cannot afford to lose Sam. Fending off LSU after an official visit in a raucous, super lit atmosphere is a good start.