Top-100 DB Maurice Williams Jr. commits to LSU

Commitment has been on Maurice Williams Jr.‘s mind this summer as he made his way from campus to campus for workouts and visits alongside his family. When he arrived back in Baton Rouge, it just clicked. Now he’s kicking off an entire recruiting class.

Williams, an On300 safety from Alvin (Texas) Shadow Creek in the Houston area, committed to LSU on Saturday. The four-star defensive back and a top-30 player in the Lone Star State returned to the Bayou for an unofficial visit Friday after previous stops to Ohio State and Texas. He’s LSU’s first commitment in the 2024 recruiting cycle.

Williams and his family have frequented LSU’s campus this fall and Brian Kelly and his staff checked off several boxes for the On3 Consensus’ No. 5-ranked safety in the 2024 class.

“LSU is not far from home and there’s a lot of mixture there,” said Williams, whose mother’s side of the family resides in New Orleans and throughout The Boot. “In Houston, since Katrina, we have a lot of people from Louisiana so it feels like being at home. I’m used to the people out here. The atmosphere is fun. There’s a ton of soul in this city, so it’s a really good vibe out here.”

The ties to Louisiana only further Williams’ comfort level with the Bayou Bengals. This was a return visit after stops on campus this summer and this trip ended with a workout with Kerry Cooks and even more one-on-one time with Kelly.

“They have been trying to get me on board,” said Williams. “They’ve been pushing me and calling me every now and then, and they’ve been up there with me for sure.”

“The big thing for me is that we got to meet Coach Kelly for the first time, and we really spent time with my little brother and he made us feel comfortable. The biggest thing for me is finding somewhere that’s comfortable and feels like home.

“I was already thinking about (committing) before I got there. I worked out for the coaches, and I shocked them. i talked to the whole staff, and I like the way they congratulated me. It’s like a second home when I’m out there.”

Williams also intends to kick off the 2024 class with a splash.

“We’re gonna try to turn this thing around at LSU. I got that pull in the city, so I’m gonna try to get some dogs to join me there.”

Williams sits as the No. 71 player in the nation regardless of position according to the On3 Consensus, a complete and equally weighted industry-generated average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies.