Touted running back Dexter Williams just chose Notre Dame in a Signing Day announcement. It’s a huge victory for the Irish coaching staff and particularly Tony Alford, who was long on Williams’ recruitment and out-battled Miami for his pledge.
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DEXTER WILLIAMS
Winter Garden, FL
Measurables: 6'0", 200 lbs.
Accolades: 4-Star recruit, No. 8 player in Central Florida, 139th on PrepStar DreamTeam, No. 78 on ESPN’s Top 300.
Other Impressive Offers: Miami, Florida, Georgia, Michigan, Ohio State, USC
Projected Position: Running Back
Quick Take: In Notre Dame’s biggest Signing Day victory, the Irish reel in a prime time running back from Florida, beating Miami for one of their most important recruiting targets. The Irish coaching staff worked hard for Williams, with Tony Alford landing a key running back as the Irish sweated out a tough decision to leave home for the Floridian.
On the field, there is so much to like about Williams. He looks like he was born with a juke button and a built-in speed burst. He’s a natural seeing the hole and hitting it with speed. And he’ll immediately be inserted into a two-deep depth chart that will now have four very talented backs.
What he means to the Irish: A huge get at a big position of need. Williams is a toe-to-toe victory in the state of Florida against a Miami coaching staff that’s among the most “aggressive” recruiters in the country.
The Irish played the integrity game while the Hurricanes staff tweeted weather reports for snowy South Bend. In the end, the student-athlete made a choice based on the best fit for him, and Notre Dame flexed its muscles on the national scene, pulling a back out of Florida even when the Hurricanes had a need at the position as well.
Obligatory YouTube clip: Here’s the official signing video from UND.com.
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