Coach’s take on recent Miami 2025 OL commit Lamar Williams: “He just wants to work, play football and be great at it”

When the recruitment of Miami commit Quincy (Fla.) Gadsden County three-star 2025 offensive tackle Lamar Williams began to pick up momentum his junior year, the plan was to commit during the summer, but that quickly changed in recent weeks, according to Gadsen County High School head coach Russell Ellington.

After visiting Coral Gables at the end of January, which was followed by a visit from Hurricanes head coach Mario Cristobal in school, Williams knew Miami was where he wanted to be and did not wait much longer to announce that to the world. 

“I think that visit is what sealed it for him,” Ellington told CaneSport. “We had planned on him committing sometime this summer before his season, but after he came back from the visit, coach Cristobal came that Tuesday, and we had a good talk. After the talk everyone walked out, and that’s when Lamar looked at me and said, ‘Should we tell them?’ I told him `If you’re ready, tell them,’ and he felt like he was ready.”

Since first offering Williams, Miami has remained in constant communication with the offensive tackle, which Ellington believes played a big role in his eventual commitment to the Hurricanes. 

“He had a lot of offers, but Coach Cristobal and Coach Mirabal kind of set themselves apart, spending a lot of time with him,” Ellington said. “Just letting him know he was a priority for them, and that meant a lot because of their recent recruiting success and the fact that they know how to recruit offensive linemen. That was big.”

Standing at 6-foot-7 and 280 pounds, Williams is an imposing figure who Ellington believes is just scratching the surface of his full potential. Coming into high school at the same size as a freshman, Ellington believes Williams’ dedication to his craft and desire to get better has put him where he is today. 

“Just his work ethic, because he’s come a long way,” Ellington said. “He’s been 6’7 since his freshman year, but he was kind of a late bloomer, and he had to keep working hard and developing. This last year, once he got his body together in the weight room and got his legs underneath him, he went to a few camps and had great showings. That’s when I knew he had turned the corner. He’s a long, rangy kid who’s very good at pass protection, and this year he fell in love with run blocking, which is a positive.” 

While the three-star athlete has gained some national recognition, Ellington hopes and believes Williams will stay hungry and continue to strive for more.

“I just want to see him stay hungry at the end of the day,” Ellington said. “With everybody recruiting him, some kids get relaxed, but I want him to continue to stay hungry like he has been. Right now he’s working out twice a day, trying to get stronger. Just keep that hunger inside, and the rest will come.”

Away from the gridiron, Williams is a gentle giant according to Ellington who simply loves to play football and believes Miami is getting an excellent human being on and off the field. 

“Great, humble kid,” Ellington said. “I laugh, but it’s true. He lives off a dirt road and is a really low-maintenance kid. He just wants to work, play football and be great at it. Miami is getting a great kid on and off the field.”

Although Williams resides less than 30 minutes away from Florida State, which was a program that heavily pursued his talents, Ellington believes Miami is the perfect fit for him in more ways than one due to his strong ties to South Florida. 

“I’ve been kind of catching fits about it already, with people asking how I’d let this happen and things of that nature,” Ellington said. “Like I tell people, I let the kids make the decision, and he’s an offensive line guy, so what better coach to be with than Coach Cristobal? He has a proven track record with offensive line guys, and at the end of the day his mom lived in the Miami area for about 30 years. Even though he’s from up here and has lived his whole life here, his family is from down there.” 

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