Jerome Williams Talks Official Visit
Jerome Williams, a 6-foot-3, 300-pound 2023 offensive tackle from Osseo (MN) High, is one of the top football players in the state and became the second in-state player to commit to Minnesota in February.
The Gopher Report recently caught up with Williams at Anoka-Ramsey CC watching his high school basketball team to learn the latest on meeting his future teammates, his love of Minnesota and upcoming senior year.
The Gopher Report: You were at Minnesota a few weeks ago when they had a lot of the recruits in town. What was that experience like getting to meet some of the others players that are coming to Minnesota?
Jerome Williams: "It was fun. All of the current commits up unto that point, we all decided to go that weekend, so we could bond and get a feel for everything. Get to know my future teammates better, so it was good."
The Gopher Report: Does that make it feel more real now that you have gotten to know a few of the players?
Williams: "I had already talked to the majority of the in-state guys, but a couple of the out-state guys don’t get up here as often and it was good to hang out with them, too."
The Gopher Report: They got a couple of commitments from that weekend. Were you working on some of them to get them to join you?
Williams: "I was talking to De’Eric (Mister) mostly, because (Coach) Callahan said I should reach out to them. We got De’Eric and we are working on others."
The Gopher Report: What were saying to them?
Williams: "I was just asking them how they felt about things, asked them about how the other places looked that they are still looking at."
The Gopher Report: They seem like they have a pretty good class. I think that they have 18 players committed already. Does that get you excited knowing that there are a lot of players that you are getting a chance to know even before your senior season starts?
Williams: "I think that it is really dope that we have 18. There are not a lot of places in the country that even have ten right now. I think us having 18 kind of sets us apart. We already have a really good group. We have a lot of three-stars. Four-stars. We got a little running back class that I like."
The Gopher Report: I saw your name on a few AAU rosters this summer. You aren’t playing here today, but does that maybe indicate that you are going to play basketball this year?
Williams: "I think that I’ll look at it, for sure. I don’t know yet. I have to do a lot of thinking and see if it’s worth it, because I could get injured and I wouldn’t want that."
The Gopher Report: There are pros and cons. It will help you get in good shape, but you might not be able to put on weight. Is that something you have thought about that way?
Williams: "I know that in the past when I played basketball, sometimes I would lose a lot of weight. Sometimes I don’t. Usually, I gain ten pounds. I think that if I really tried, I could maintain weight."
The Gopher Report: There are a lot of pros, too. Staying in shape. Footwork.
Williams: "I think the biggest reason why I would play is just to stay in shape, because when you first get on campus, you want to be in shape, because I have talked to a lot of the players and they said “make sure you are in shape.”
The Gopher Report: What are you up to right now?
Williams: "6-3 1/2. 300."
The Gopher Report: To be honest, you don’t look like that big?
Jerome Williams: I hear that a lot (laughing).
The Gopher Report: What are the expectations for Osseo this year?
Williams: "I think that we have a good group this year and I think that we are going to have a good time at the state tournament this year. We’ve got a lot of players that I like. We added a couple of guys this year. We had a big junior class last year. A lot of juniors had to step up and start. I think that gives us an advantage."
The Gopher Report: You want to get far in the playoffs. What would it mean to maybe get to play in US Bank Stadium and get that far?
Williams: "I think that would be huge for us, because we have a lot of guys who work really hard. We have a lot of coaches who push us very hard to get us to the state tournament and I feel like that final turning point. We won a state championship a few years ago and then we had that down time when we weren’t too good and I think that last year, us being 4-4, which is not where I wanted us to be, but it was better for us. This year, I think we go 6-2 at worst. 7-1 or 8-0. That type of stuff, so I think that would put us on notice because we have been disrespected the past couple of years. Getting disrespected right now even."
The Gopher Report: You finished school a few weeks ago. Technically, you are a senior. Does that feel kind of weird?
Williams: "I think it is kind of weird. Me being a junior, I had to focus on ACTs. I feel like senior year might be little easier, because you don’t have a lot of required classes that you have to take. Just filling your classes up with whatever. I picked up three study halls."
The Gopher Report: You are rocking the Gopher garb. Is that typical of you now that you are committed?
Williams: "Official visit, I picked up some stuff. I’m not going to lie, I picked up some stuff. I’m trying to represent."
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