Riley Williams signs with Canes, gives Miami elite TE compared to a young Travis Kelce/George Kittle

SIGNEES (with link to feature story SIGNEES (with link to feature story on each): Francis Mauigoa … Damari Brown … Christopher Johnson … Antione Jackson … Collins Acheampong … Kaleb Spencer … Riley Williams … Samson Okunlola … Robby Washington … Bobby Washington … Rueben Bain … Mark Fletcher … Malik Bryant … Jackson Carver … Emory Williams … Antonio Tripp … Marcellius Pulliam … Jayden Wayne … Frankie Tinilau … Joshua Horton … Raul Aguirre … Robert Stafford … Tommy Kinsler … Ray Ray Joseph … Australian P Dylan Joyceeach): Damari Brown … Christopher Johnson … Antione Jackson … Collins Acheampong … Kaleb Spencer … Riley Williams … Samson Okunlola … Robby Washington … Bobby Washington … Rueben Bain … Mark Fletcher … Malik Bryant … Jackson Carver … Emory Williams … Antonio Tripp … Marcellius Pulliam … Jayden Wayne … Frankie Tinilau … Joshua Horton … Raul Aguirre … Robert Stafford … Tommy Kinsler … Ray Ray Joseph … Australian P Dylan Joyce

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Winning out with Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy TE Riley Williams was no easy feat for the Miami Hurricanes at first. The perception was that Oregon led for him heading into his June 19 official visit to Miami … and he’d already scheduled an announcement for July 1 heading into that trip. The visit is what really helped win him over – he wound up canceling an Oregon trip that was supposed to come two days later and then announced for UM over Alabama, Ohio State and the Ducks. And he stuck with the Canes from there.

He’s now confirmed signing with Miami and is excited about the future in Coral Gables.

“We all see the vision of where it’s going,” said Williams, who played high school ball in Portland, Oregon before transferring to IMG.

TE coach Stephen Field played a big role in landing Williams in the class.

“I love coach Field, that’s my guy. I talk to him all the time,” Williams said. “Not even about football stuff, just about my life and some of the stuff I go through and everything. He’s cool about it all.”

Also helping here: Williams’ older brother played at Oregon as a walkon under Mario Cristobal.

“My brother went to Oregon as a walk-on wide receiver and played underneath Cristobal – in a sense, you could almost say he’s almost like family,” Williams says.

Williams grew up playing football but stopped when he was so big for his age that he was going to play on the offensive line. He wasn’t into that, so he started playing AAU basketball. As a high school freshman he came back out for football, playing on the JV. Williams’ sophomore year was the COVID season and the team played only six games and he was injured for two of them.

So his junior season was his first full year, and he blew up as a prospect with 14 TD catches.

Williams will now show off his skills starting this spring – he is an early enrollee.

“I’m excited about getting that half step ahead of everybody else who comes in during the spring,” Williams said. “Learning the culture and learning coach Cristobal’s expectations.”

Williams is an athlete who can line up at H-back, attached to the line or split out wide, giving the Canes a versatile threat who should cause the defense a lot of headaches down the road.

His former coach in Oregon, Steve Pyne, compares Williams to a young Travis Kelce or George Kittle.

And IMG coach Billy Miller says he’s “Big, athletic, great natural catcher of the ball. He’s tough to tackle; he’s so big, athletic, and fluid. He’s got great hands, runs great routes, can get open, create separation, and high points the football; he’s going to be a mismatch problem for a long time.”

The On3 scouting report on Williams reads “Multi-functional tight end prospect that is a mismatch in the passing game. Possesses the prototype frame and build that should be physically ready to see the field in year one. Produced at a high level reeling in 36 catches for 889 yards and 14 touchdowns as a junior. Has the ability to play as a true in-line Y, flex out in the slot or out wide as a receiver. Drives his legs on contact as a run blocker and looks to finish plays. Shows impressive twitch and the ability to separate as a route runner for someone his size. Uses his size to box out smaller defensive backs in contested catch situations. One of the best tight end talents in the country who could be primed for an early impact in college.”