Elite California All-American CB Marcelles Williams Sets Two Official Visits
While I’m admittedly a bit biased when it comes to the Williams family and their youngest Marcelles Williams, he’s one of the most highly sought cornerbacks in the nation. So, me saying he’s one of the elite players on the West Coast for 2024 is an opinion shared by many of the top college football programs in the country.
Many have pegged USC as the school to beat, and that could be the case for all we know, he’s nowhere near ready to make a school choice. Before he does settle on a school some time later this Summer, Williams plans to officially visit several schools.
The first official visit for Williams will come in a few weeks. He’ll visit UCLA May 5-7. After that there will be a five week break before he visits Oklahoma on June 9-11. He’ll follow up the Norman (OK) visit with USC on June 16-18.
Although the Bruins are getting one of Williams’s official visits, we don’t expect UCLA be a huge threat to ultimately sign him. But we believe the Oklahoma Sooners are a strong option for Williams.
Donte Williams
We asked Celles if Coach Donte Williams gets anxious when he hasn’t visited USC for a stretch?
“I always talk to him,” said Williams. “He always tries to the me up there, but I’ve already been there a lot. It’s not like there’s anything I need to see or do at USC at this point. I don’t feel the need to see the same thing over and over.”
With Coach Donte offering Williams’s brother Max back when he was coaching at Nebraska, he and Marcelles have been building a relationship since 2017.
“I met Coach Donte back when he offered my brother at Nebraska,” said Williams. “Then I visited Oregon with my brother when Donte was coaching there…and now he’s at USC. Now he’s just focused on me.
“It’s really just Coach Donte and Coach Riley recruiting me at USC, too. I spoke to Coach Riley yesterday when he was at his daughter’s softball game.”
Commitment timeline
“I don’t want to wait until signing day to make a commitment,” Williams said. “Ideally I’ll make a decision before the season begins. During the Summer is the the most likely timeframe.”
Future role of Top USC priority
WeAreSC asked Marcelles was if he there was any doubt about him being a top priority at USC?
“There is no doubt about that,” he said. “A lot of schools see me playing anywhere in the defensive backfield. But I specifically like playing cornerback. That’s my favorite position.”
More than proximity attracting top local prospects
Now there’s now more than just being close to home that’s attractive to Williams. There’s a coaching staff in place the top prospects in the nation are looking to play for. They wanted to see how USC performed this season, but so far so good. The Trojans finished 11-3 and ranked No. 13 in the AP, Coaches and CFB Playoff Polls.
“They’ve shown me it’s not the same old USC that I’ve been to the past four or five years,” said Williams. “It’s a lot different, there’s a lot energy and it’s very organized.
“There’s a foundation and the coaches will probably be there a while. Coach Donte probably won’t be going anywhere unless he gets a big promotion. Lincoln Riley even talked about it, too. He said you don’t leave what he had at Oklahoma to move somewhere he didn’t plan to be at for a long time. He doesn’t see himself leaving anytime soon, if ever.”
Move to the Big-10 a huge plus
There hasn’t been one USC recruit I’ve spoken to who isn’t excited about the move to the Big-10 Conference in 2024. Williams his among them.
“Yes, it would be very big,” said Williams about the opportunity to play Ohio St., Michigan, Penn St., Michigan St and others in the Big-10.
One reality USC and UCLA began to face in recent years were high school coaches advising their elite players to avoid the Pac-12. A few coaches at St. John Bosco definitely advised their top guys to primarily look at the SEC and Big-12.
“They were,” Williams said. “They want the best for their players and for us to play against the best players. The best players weren’t necessarily staying out here in the Pac-12. Football has gotten bigger down South and in the Midwest.”
On3 Recruiting Prediction Machine (RPM)
USC currently the overwhelming favorite to get Williams. The Trojans lead UCLA 44.6% to 15.8% in the On3 Recruiting Prediction Machine.
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