Gamecocks land defensive recruit from Atlanta just days after visit
Demarko Williams liked the message he got from South Carolina’s football coaches when he was at junior day last weekend.
He liked it so much, he committed to the Gamecocks on Tuesday evening.
The 5-foot-10, 165-pound corner from Westlake High School in Atlanta pledged to the Gamecocks, becoming the sole member of the 2021 class thus far. He claims offers from Oregon, Minnesota, Pittsburgh, Tennessee.
“I learned a lot about how they run things,” Williams said after his visit. “It’s like a home away from home. [Travaris Robinson] showed me the defensive personnel, the kind of defenses they run and how I would fit at certain positions.
“Me going to the next level, I would never call myself a corner or a safety. I want to play as much as possible so knowing the whole secondary increases my chances of playing a whole lot. I’m just a DB. I know all the positions around the field and I can increase my chances of playing on the next level.”
That breakdown fits what South Carolina has looked for in defensive backs, as the staff has often moved players between the positions and trained them at both spots.
Williams plans to sign in December and he’s not sure yet if he’ll graduate early.
He picked off at least one pass as a junior and showed some ability as a hitter on film. He also played receiver and was part of a team that won a region title.
The Gamecocks are not projected to lose any senior defensive backs off the 2020 roster, but Jaycee Horn and perhaps Israel Mukuamu could end up candidates to go pro early.
Williams is not technically the first commit in the class as running back Lovasea Carroll committed and decommitted in the summer and early fall.
This story was originally published January 21, 2020 at 9:49 PM.
