Amaris Williams, one of the most touted defensive line prospects in the 2024 recruiting cycle, flipped his commitment from Florida to Auburn on Wednesday during the start of the early signing period. The high-profile flip is the latest blow for Gators' 2024 recruiting class, which began the day one spot ahead of the Tigers at No. 10 in the 247Sports Team Rankings but has since fallen out of the top 10.
Williams is considered the No. 34 overall prospect in 2024 class, according to 247Sports, and holds a four-star rating in the 247Sports Composite. The Clinton, North Carolina, product committed to the Gators in June, doing so just one day after making an official visit. However, Williams visited both Auburn and Georgia earlier in December after Florida stumbled to a 5-7 finish in coach Billy Napier's second season, losing each of its final five games. Williams also visited and received an offer from Ohio State midseason, but it was coach Hugh Freeze and the Tigers who ultimately won the battle for his talents as the early signing period kicks off.
Although Williams checks in as a defensive line recruit, his versatility has been on full display at Clinton (North Carolina) High School, where he has flashed on both sides of the ball. Williams ended his senior year with 34 tackles, including 20 for loss and 11 sacks as Clinton went 15-1 and competed for a state title. He also saw action at running back with a four-touchdown performance against Northeastern High School in the state semifinals.
The scouting report from 247Sports' Andrew Ivins has more on the two-way star, who has also competed in track and field events at Clinton:
A twitched-up defensive lineman that initially billed himself as a running back. Not only owns strong testing numbers (4.7 in the 40-yard dash to go along with a 4.5 in the short shuttle), but is a decorated thrower having placed second at North Carolina 2A meet in the shot put as an 11th grader. Initial get-off and a nice forward lean tends to cause plenty of issues for blockers as he can win his fair share of battles with a simple bull rush. Anticipates the snap better than most and is quick to shoot gaps and work his way into the backfield. Likely to find more success as an interior rusher if he can improve his pad level and get better with his hands. Measured roughly 6-foot-3, 255 pounds spring before senior season and looks to have plenty of growth potential. Should be viewed as a future 3, 4i or 5-technique at the next level, but might also be able to add some value as an edge player depending on program needs. NFL upside with his explosive lower half, but must keep evolving as a defender, which should happen as he focuses strictly on that side of the ball.
Williams is not the first touted prospect to decommit from Florida this week. On Monday, the Gators watched safety Xavier Filsaime -- a five-star prospect, according to 247Sports -- flip his commitment to Texas after previously being committed to Florida since the spring.
Napier, Gators losing recruiting momentum
The loss of Williams and Filsaime to other SEC opponents in a span of three days (Texas joins the SEC ahead of the 2024 season) just about epitomizes the situation for Napier and his staff exiting Year 2, in which momentum has waned considerably on all fronts. For as bad as the Gators' second-half tailspin was, Florida still exited the regular season with a top-10 recruiting class intact for the 2024 cycle. It was enough to preserve some optimism over the program's long-term trajectory under Napier, even with an 11-14 record in two seasons guiding the program.
That too has now fizzled as the Gators' class is down to No. 15 in the 247Sports Composite following several key decommitments. Napier and Florida have seen 10 prospects in the 2024 cycle decommit from the Gators, with seven occurring since the start of November, according to 247Sports. Seven of those players hold at least a four-star rating from 247Sports and five are considered top-100 prospects for the cycle. Adding to concerns, five-star quarterback commit DJ Lagway had not yet signed his National Letter of Intent as of Wednesday afternoon, prompting speculation that other schools could swoop in at the last minute for the No. 4 overall prospect in the 2024 cycle.
While it could be worse -- Florida still tracks to sign a class that most Power Five programs would take in a heartbeat -- the overall strength of the SEC doesn't help. The Gators' 2024 class ranks a pedestrian eighth in the conference, according to the 247Sports Composite. Combine that with 17 transfer portal departures -- running back Trevor Etienne and edge-rusher Princely Umanmielen among them -- and it could be an uphill battle for Napier to produce a winner in 2024, which is all but a must entering the third year of his tenure.
