2024 priority four-star RB target Aneyas Williams sets commitment date
Notre Dame’s 2024 class could soon add another offensive weapon to its arsenal.
Hannibal (Mo.) High running back target Aneyas Williams will announce his college commitment Dec. 16 at 7 p.m. EST, he confirmed to Inside ND Sports on Tuesday. KHQA-TV was the first to report the news.
Williams’ impending college decision comes after releasing a top 10 last month, including Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Missouri, Notre Dame, Ole Miss, Ohio State, Penn State and Tennessee. Rivals ranks the 5-foot-10, 195-pound Williams as the No. 106 overall player, No. 1 all-purpose back and No. 3 player in Missouri.
The Irish are the trending team 10 days out from his decision. Williams visited for Notre Dame’s last two home games — Nov. 5 vs. Clemson and Nov. 19 vs. Boston College — and has been to campus five times, more than any other school. Inside ND Sports filed a Rivals FutureCast prediction for Williams to pledge to Notre Dame on Nov. 14.
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“It’s just a good place,” Williams told Rivals national recruiting analyst Clint Cosgrove. “Notre Dame kind of speaks for themselves. You get the best of both worlds. You’ve got the education piece, which was made very important on my visits when I went and talked to coach Freeman. That was one of his big messages, along with the other people on the staff.
“Football, they’re a top school every single year. They’re going to put you in the position to win and have success. Obviously, that’s a good piece. And then (running backs) coach (Deland) McCullough. I had a good relationship with him too.”
Notre Dame offered Williams a scholarship after competing at the Irish Invasion camp on June 5. That was his second trip to campus and the first opportunity to work out in front of McCullough in person. His performance that day was met with a rave review.
“McCullough said, ‘I’d explain a drill, not even show him, but just explaining it to the guys and he’d be the first one in line and do it perfectly,’” Hannibal High head coach Jeffrey Gschwender recalled. “‘He said, ‘It was like he’s been doing it forever. And that’s just from one explanation."
In the weeks following his June visit to Notre Dame, McCullough told Williams he was the No. 1 running back on his board. During his sophomore season, he caught 63 passes for 1.297 yards and 24 touchdowns and rushed for 1,001 yards on 105 carries for 20 touchdowns.
Williams returned to campus on July 26 for a 2024 class cookout, his third trip to South Bend.
Besides Notre Dame, Williams has also visited Alabama, Iowa, Kentucky, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio State, Oregon and Tennessee. He reports 26 total scholarship offers.
So far in the ND’s 2024 class, the Irish have a quarterback (CJ Carr), wide receiver (Cam Williams), tight end (Jack Larsen), offensive lineman (Peter Jones) and three defenders. That class ranks No. 1 in the 2024 Rivals team rankings with 979 points. LSU is second with 940 points.
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