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After the dust has settled and the euphoria of the surprise commitment of 5 star athlete James Williams has subsided, it is time to take inventory. The 6’5 217 pound number one athlete in the nation out of American Heritage, Plantation, is a rare combination of speed and length.
Manny Diaz and @CanesFootball land a major commitment from in-state 5-star ATH/safety James Williams (6-5, 218), who picked Miami over Georgia https://t.co/Lbu2YLBROl
— ACCSports.com (@ACCSports) July 22, 2020
But will James Williams be a safety here at the University of Miami? Does his height suddenly factor into a position not known for towering figures? Ask google and the average height for an NFL safety is 6’ 0”
However there have been elongated safeties who have broken the mold. Steve Atwater (*number 27) was a tall rangy safety at 6’3” for the Denver Broncos who instilled fear with his devastating hits.
Congrats to Steve Atwater on his Hall of Fame election. If there was ever a day to post this, it’s today. Top ten all-time hit for me. NO ONE did this kind of thing to Christian Okoye. Except Steve Atwater. pic.twitter.com/L2TgvQY3r8
— Super 70s Sports (@Super70sSports) February 1, 2020
While on episode 90 of the number one rated football podcast in the Dominican Republic, the Orange Bowl Boys had south Florida recruiting legend Larry Blustein weigh in on the Williams commitment.
The take away point during this interview for me was how when the word safety was brought up, Kam Kinchens’s name dominated. The superlatives for the 5’11” safety out of Miami Northwestern was on full display from his technicality to his aggressiveness.
Check out the 4 plus minute response from a legend and suddenly you realize Williams will have the ability to play wherever he chooses and Miami has a steal in Kinchens. The safety room is definitely stocking up in the Gables. Bartender, can I have another?