:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/1062719/153100236.0.jpg)
ATH Delton Williams, Erie Cathedral Prep (Pa.) - (6-foot-2, 205 pounds)
Ratings: Rivals (3 stars), Scout (3 stars), 247 (3 stars), ESPN (4 stars)
Other notable offers: West Virginia, Penn State, Nebraska
After surprisingly leaving East Lansing after the Ohio State game without committing, Delton Williams selected the Spartans over West Virginia at an event at his high school Tuesday afternoon.
Williams is listed as an athlete. He plays running back and defensive back in high school, but has also been projected as a linebacker. He becomes commit No. 14 for MSU's 2013 class, leaving only a few spots remaining. He gives MSU a package from Cathedral prep, as his high school teammate, quarterback Damion Terry, is committed to MSU for 2013.
MSU is my new home love being a spartan already!! Spartan Dog lol
— BossMan_5 (@WilliamsDelton) October 9, 2012
Too happy right noww!!
— Damion Terry (@DamionTerry) October 9, 2012
Looking at the tape (and his measurables), this is already a pretty big kid. Sean Scherer from SpartanTailgate projects Williams to fit in the STAR linebacker position, which is what Chris Norman currently plays. Players that fit the position need to be able to both stop the run and defend the pass well, and given Williams' work at safety, it makes sense. Scherer also says he could get some looks on offense, like Jeremy Langford.
I originally figured Williams would fit at safety (that's what Nebraska offered him as), especially considering how deep MSU is at linebacker. But given his current frame, he could very well bulk up some more and play linebacker, I guess.
Williams first visited last season for the Wisconsin Hail Mary game, and that left a pretty good impression. He earned an offer a month after February's Junior Day as a defensive athlete. He visited in April and later said his next visit would be to commit, if it came.
After Terry committed to MSU in April, many thought Williams would soon follow. Terry publicly said he was trying to get his friend to commit to the Green and White, but Williams took his time as interest continued to come in from other schools. When he said Ohio State was his dream school growing up, that worried Spartan fans, but the Buckeyes didn't have much room, and an offer never came.
In June, he was in a car with an Iowa running back commit that was pulled over and charged with marijuana possession. Penn State backed off after that, while MSU and Nebraska waited for things to play out. The charges were later dropped.
As a junior last season, Williams accounted for almost 1,900 all-purpose yards (he also returns kicks) and 13 touchdowns in eight games and earned all-state honors. He's playing well this season, and Cathedral Prep is 6-0 and the No. 1 ranked AAA team in Pennsylvania. Last Friday, Williams had two touchdowns catches (21, 35 yards) and an 85-yard TD run, according to Rivals. His coach says he has two punt returns for touchdowns this season, and also is Terry's favorite target in the passing game.
All in all, Williams appears to be another solid recruit with versatility.
Mark Dantonio didn't sign a player from Pennsylvania in an MSU recruiting class until Brandon Clemons and Paul Lang in 2011. He got two in the class of 2012 (Demetrious Cox and Kyle Kerrick) and has three for 2013 (Terry, Williams and Jay Harris), so there clearly has been increased work there.
The commitments from Williams and Terry give MSU a good rapport with Cathedral Prep, too.
Michigan State is now Prep-west. Rambler senior Delton Williams verbally commits to the Spartans, joining teammate Damion Terry.
— Cathedral Prep (@CathedralPrep) October 9, 2012
Moving forward, MSU will likely cool off of most other defensive back prospects, with so few spots remaining, and most of the focus will be on offensive and defensive line players.
--