Nation's No. 1 LB Justin Williams sets commitment date

Conroe (Texas) Oak Ridge Five-Star Plus+ linebacker Justin Williams is ready.

Down to Oregon and Georgia, the nation’s No. 1 linebacker will announce his decision July 24 exclusively on On3’s YouTube channel.

“Now my head is kind of clear of where I’m at with my commitment, and I think this is the right time for me and my family to get it done,” he told On3. “I’m still thinking about it a little bit. I’m still processing the opportunities ahead.”

The Ducks have long been considered his top school, but Georgia’s strong push this summer — especially since his June official visit to Athens — has them very much in contention.

“It’s pretty tough because they’re both great programs, and the coaches are like family to me,” he added. “I would say with Oregon, every time I go out there it’s like home. With Georgia, they’re the No. 1 program in the nation; who wouldn’t want to go play there?”

Justin Williams has great relationships with both head coaches

One of the biggest similarities between the two programs for him is their head coaches. And that makes sense given that Dan Lanning is a disciple of Kirby Smart and has taken many of the same principles up to the Pacific Northwest.

“Both coaches are very caring people,” Williams said. “They care about relationships and when you mix that with great football, that makes great opportunities no matter what. Coach Smart has built a great program so far, and I think he’s going to continue to do great things.

… And I think Coach Lanning is really on the rise. He’s a great dude and he really wants the best for his players.”

Each program has its own upside

There are, however, some difference that he says make each program appealing to him. The Bulldogs’ recent success and drive to keep the nation’s No. 1 program at that level is something he could see himself being part of.

“The desire to be great is something that stands out there,” he said. “There’s a lot of great programs out there, but not everybody wants to be on the train. At Georgia, everybody is on board and wants to go win and built a great legacy. And they keep doing it every year.”

On the other hand — and the other side of the country — Lanning is in the midst of building the Ducks, and Williams has a chance to be a major part of that.

“With a new coaching staff building a new program, they have a lot of room to be great and build things,” he said. “They proved that last year, and I think they’ll do it again. Oregon is a place where you can be yourself, not really worry about anything and just be relaxed. I think that stands out a lot.”

Whichever program lands Williams next week will be gaining an instant-impact player. The 6-foot-2, 210-pounder is the No. 9 overall prospect in the On3 Industry Ranking,  a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies.