USC Trojans offer Missouri DL commit Elias Williams

USC barely sits inside the top 20 of the updated On3 Industry Football Team Recruiting Rankings, and with just over two months until the Early Signing Period, The Trojans are looking to make some moves down the stretch.

Lincoln Riley and Co. extended an offer to Hudson (Fla.) three-star defensive lineman and current Missouri commit Elias Williams, he announced on Tuesday.

#AGTG Blessed to receive a offer from the University of Southern California @B_Quatro4 @DaveEmerickUSC1 @WestonZernechel @coachhicks16 @Andy_Villamarzo @Suncoast_sports @cobrafball2017 @RyleeCheek pic.twitter.com/dc6Ujhry1g

— Elias williams (@Elias59361169) October 17, 2023

Williams is the No. 556 overall prospect and No. 52 DL in the 2024 cycle, according to the On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies. On3 ranks Williams higher than other recruiting services, as he checks in the updated On300 as a four-star and the No. 262 recruit.

SEC schools are working hard to flip Williams

The 6-foot-4, 275-pounder committed to Mizzou on Sept. 1, choosing the Tigers over Florida State, Indiana, and UCF. His recruitment has continued, however.

Tennessee got in the mix by offering on Sept. 16. He’s since made an unofficial visit on Rocky Top and is now planning to make an official visit later this year.

“Really enjoyed talking to them,” Williams told Volquest following his October visit. “When I got here, they told me that I am not just another guy, but I am one of their big targets at the moment. They told me really feel like everything I do fits their scheme.”

Williams is scheduled to make a return visit to Missouri this weekend, but is also aiming to take a trip to Tuscaloosa to visit Alabama when they take on LSU on Nov. 4. USC will now try and join the fun following its offer.

“Things are going really good,” Williams told BamaOnLine of his contact with Alabama. “They told me how they feel about me. Even though I’m committed, they’re not going to stop recruiting me. They’re going to recruit me even harder than they have before to get me to flip.”

Williams is Mizzou’s sixth highest-ranked pledge in the Tigers’ 2024 class, which ranks No. 33 in the nation and No. 15 in the SEC, according to the On3 Industry Team Recruiting Ranking. Eli Drinkwtiz’ pledge list includes Lee’s Summit (Mo.) North Five-Star Plus+ EDGE Williams Nwaneri, the No. 2 overall prospect in the cycle.

Williams does not currently have an On3 NIL Valuation. The On3 NIL Valuation is the industry’s leading index that sets high school and college athletes’ projected annual value (PAV). The NIL valuation does not act as a tracker of the value of NIL deals an athlete has completed to date. It rather signifies an athlete’s value at a certain moment in time.