Pivotal month ahead for Alabama in recruitment of 2024 EDGE target

This is a crucial month for Alabama in their pursuit of Solomon Williams.

The Tampa-based pass rusher is scheduled to be in attendance for two Alabama games in October. First up will be their road matchup with Texas A&M on Saturday for Williams’ official visit with the Aggies. The next one will be on Oct. 21 when the Crimson Tide play host to Tennessee.

In the meantime, Williams — who last visited Bama for an official in June — is maintaining regular contact with position coach Coleman Hutzler.

“I’ve been talking with Coach Hutzler,” Williams told BamaOnLine this week. “He’s been relaying to me the importance of me to the program. They’re talking about the production of Dallas Turner and [Chris] Braswell. How the room is up for grabs. Just relaying that message. Relaying to me to have a good season, stay focused, and give everything I have for this last season.”

Williams has also chopped it up with Nick Saban multiple times since the beginning of last month, including a conversation that took place a couple of weeks ago. Alabama’s head coach is held in high regard by the No. 19 EDGE in the 2024 On300.

“He was talking about the importance of me to their program,” Williams said of Saban. “How much they value me. Just relaying that and keep pushing that message. Talking about my season and giving me little tips to help me become better. I was picking his brain. You can never get enough from picking the brain of Nick Saban.

“It’s a blessing. It’s Nick Saban — one of the best coaches to ever coach college football,” Williams continued. “You can ask him any question you want. That definitely is a big thing for me, just being able to talk with Coach Saban and ask him life questions and getting responses from the best.”

Williams will be watching both Alabama and Texas A&M this weekend

Solomon Williams’ upcoming official visit to Texas A&M will be his second trip to College Station of the fall. The Carrollwood Day School and Bay Area L.A.B. product previously attended their game versus Auburn on Sept. 23.

He’ll be an A&M visitor this weekend, but Williams is paying close attention to both teams on Saturday.

“With A&M being a young team, just seeing them play against a team like Bama right now with the season that they’re having,” Williams said. “They beat Arkansas and beat Auburn. Just see how they respond playing them.

“Just to see how Bama’s outside linebacker room is looking and how the production looks,” Williams continued. “How the team looks overall on Bama’s side.”

Solomon Williams during his Alabama official visit in June.

Looking at Alabama’s outside linebacker room, the program signed three EDGE prospects — Keon Keeley, Qua Russaw, and Yhonzae Pierre — in the 2023 cycle.

So, how much is that being considered in Williams’ evaluation of the Tide?

“I know at Bama, they’re going to play the best players,” Williams replied. “They play the best of the best. If you put out production and take care of what you need to take care of, they’re going to play you. I’m taking that into consideration but, at the same time, they’re going to play the best of the best.”

Joining Williams on his visit to Alabama later this month will be his mother, Alpha Williams. She accompanied him on his official visit to Tuscaloosa over the summer, and came away impressed by what Bama has to offer.

“She definitely enjoyed it. Loves how they really catered to her,” Williams said of his mother. “She enjoyed the standard that Nick Saban has for his players; building them for life, not just for football. She really enjoyed that and sees the importance of that. Really enjoyed Coach Hutzler and Coach [Robert] Gillespie, and showed the importance of her and I to the program.”

Quick hitters on Solomon Williams’ recruitment

After his upcoming visits to Texas A&M and then Alabama, Williams was originally scheduled to officially visit Clemson the weekend of Nov. 11-12. That trip, however, will no longer transpire, though Williams is maintaining interest in the Tigers.

Alabama, Texas, and Texas A&M are viewed the top contenders for Williams, with Clemson and Oregon also staying in touch with him.

Williams previously mentioned Oct. 16 — his mother’s birthday — as a potential commitment date, but that is now off the table.

“Either later this month or next month. It’s definitely going to be after these visits,” Williams said of his decision time frame.

In a previous conversation with BOL, Williams highlighted the following factors as the most important for him in his process.

“Family atmosphere,” Williams told BOL last month. “Production at my position. A great coaching staff. A coaching staff that when I’m having a hard day, I can come in and talk to and watch film with.”

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