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James Williams And Kamren Kinchens: The Next Great Safety Duo At Miami

Miami has two elite safeties in their 2021 recruiting class

By marshthomas
247 Sports

Over the past several weeks, the Miami Hurricanes secured their future safeties, landing verbal commitments from 5-star James Williams and 4-star Kamren Kinchens. Both are South Florida natives, and both are two of the top safeties in the 2021 class.

The Hurricanes have always had success at the safety position, with players like Ed Reed, Sean Taylor, and recently guys like Jaquan Johnson and Sheldrick Redwine. In 2020, Gurvan Hall Jr. and Bubba Bolden, in my opinion, will emerge as one of the top safety tandems in all of college football.

Though, Williams and Kinchens could become the best safety duo that Miami has ever seen.

Kinchens committed to the Canes two weeks ago, and I’m very high on the ballhawking defensive back out of Miami Northwestern. As a junior, Kinchens recorded 9 interceptions and 74 tackles, as Northwestern captured their third straight state championship. Earning first-team all county by the Miami Herald, Kinchens was part of a defense that allowed just 12.4 points per game. Kinchens was also named to the MaxPreps Junior All-American second-team.

What makes Kinchens so elite is his instincts, and that he can make a big play at any point in the game. He’s a playmaker, much like Johnson was for Miami in 2017. One of the top DB’s in South Florida, Kinchens is great at reading the quarterback and being able to break up passes.

The other thing that I admire about Kinchens’ game is his tackling skills, which is sometimes overlooked when viewing a safety. With 74 tackles last year, Kinchens has shown that he can shed blockers and get to the ball carrier.

Clocking a 4.69 40-yard dash, Kinchens may not have “elite” speed in the secondary, but that doesn’t slow him down from always being around the football. With offenses around the country moving towards a spread look, Kinchens is the kind of player that you want on your defense.

Then there’s Williams, who’s the #1 2021 player in the state of Florida, and a top-10 player in the entire country. At 6-5 and 220 pounds, Williams has the perfect build for a Manny Diaz defensive back, and honestly, he can line up at safety, striker, linebacker, it doesn’t matter, Williams is going to get the job done.

Just like Kinchens, Williams is a natural playmaker, and is always attacking the football and swarming the offense. His football IQ is really what sets Williams apart, and he finished 2019 with 6 interceptions and 62 tackles. Interesting and exciting stat, Williams averaged 22 yards per interception return.

With his size and athleticism, Williams has the ability to move around the field and defend modern day offenses better than any defensive back in the nation. Though he’s always played safety, Williams has drawn comparisons to former Clemson star Isaiah Simmons, who was recently drafted #8 by the Arizona Cardinals.

Even with his big frame, Williams is very fluid on the football field, having the speed to cover a receiver, but also the explosiveness to hit like a linebacker and rush the quarterback like a defensive end. A rare athlete, Williams has the potential to be one of the best safeties in college football.

I can’t say enough how excited I am to watch Kinchens and Williams in the Miami secondary. Kinchens is the top ball hawker in all of South Florida, and Williams is the number one safety in America. Put those two together, and you have an elite duo for the Canes defense.