4-star Oklahoma commit Gentry Williams visiting Arkansas

Tulsa (Okla.) Booker T. Washington cornerback Gentry Williams committed to Oklahoma in October and appeared set to sign with the home-state Sooners.

But after head coach Lincoln Riley’s departure for USC, Williams is hearing from a number of schools, including Arkansas. And the four-star will visit to Fayetteville this weekend, according to WholeHogSports.com’s Richard Davenport.

Williams is the No. 35 prospect in the 2022 class, according to the On3 Consensus, a complete and equally weighted industry-generated average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies. He ranks as the nation’s No. 5 cornerback and the No. 1 prospect in Oklahoma.

The 6-foot, 170-pounder chose OU over offers from Arkansas, Florida, USC, Missouri and others in mid-October. He took official visits to Arkansas, Florida and USC over the summer. Then he visited Oklahoma officially in September. That visit to Norman all but closed out his recruitment.

“I felt it on that official visit,” Williams told On3’s Chad Simmons when he committed. “That is when I really felt it about Oklahoma. I loved the energy, it felt like home, and I knew it. … It just felt different, and I wasn’t going to second guess myself.”

Gentry Williams doesn’t know who his coaches will be

But given the Sooners’ uncertain coaching situation and defensive coordinator Alex Grinch joining Riley in Los Angeles, Williams is doing his due diligence. Cornerbacks coach Roy Manning was embroiled in controversy earlier this week when it appeared that he was recruiting on behalf of USC while still employed by Oklahoma. He is still listed on the Sooners’ staff directory, but his future is uncertain, particularly once a new head coach takes over.

Playing for Manning and Grinch was one of OU’s biggest selling points for Williams.

“Coach (Roy) Manning (cornerbacks) has played at a high level at every level, and I know he can help me get there,” Williams told Simmons. “He knows the ins and outs of being a great cornerback, he is a great teacher, and he just gets it. … I get to work with Coach Manning and play in Coach Grinch’s defense. He loves my game, he feels I can do really well in his system, and I am excited about it.”

With the early signing period now 11 days away, Williams looking around at least have to give pause to anyone following his recruitment about where he will end up.

And he isn’t the only prospect committed elsewhere to be on campus at Arkansas this weekend. According to a separate report from Davenport, LSU cornerback commit Laterrance Welch, the No. 144 prospect in the On3 Consensus, is taking an official visit to Fayetteville as well.

Arkansas’ 2022 class currently ranks No. 18 nationally, according to the On3 Consensus Team Recruiting Rankings. The Razorbacks have just one cornerback committed and two defensive backs pledged in total for 2022.