Gators Commit Justin Williams' Selflessness Stands Out

The prime example of Williams' selflessness was his midseason position adjustment last season, where, in addition to his receiver duties, Williams took over the Bobcats' starting running back spot after injuries in the room.

Breaking out in mid-October, Williams rushed for at least 100 yards in five of Buchholz's next seven games, which included a 297-yard, three-touchdown outing against district rival Bartram Trail on Oct. 25. The week prior, he recorded seven touchdowns against Tocoi Creek with 146 yards and five touchdowns rushing and 136 yards and two touchdowns receiving.

"When we said, 'Hey, we're gonna give the ball,' I mean, he just, 'Give me the ball. I want to win the game,' and truly, that's his heart," Whittemore said. "He wants to win the game. So it was, it wasn't a stretch for him to say, 'Yeah, I'll take it from the backfield.'"

Williams was still deadly as a receiver, even if his production after adding rushing duties to his plate didn't always show it. Still, he showed up in the biggest moments, evidenced by a 180-yard, three-touchdown performance as a receiver against Osceola in the state semifinals.

"So he's really been carrying us quite a bit, in a lot of ways," Whittemore said. "And then last year, carrying the football, not just catching the football, carrying the football and returning some kicks for touchdowns."

Entering his senior season, Williams' recruitment seemed to explode before he pledged to the Gators after leaving his official visit on June 9. Now, Williams is transitioning, telling Florida Gators on SI that he's focused on his commitment to Florida despite other schools still reaching out, albeit not as much as before.

"The talking with coaches has slowed down, obviously. I've just been talking with (Billy Napier) and (Billy) Gonzales and just building that connection. Just been working, ready to go," he said. "They love it, and I just can't wait. It's like, they're going to trust me when I come in."

Williams is also turning into a recruiter himself, aiding in the Gators' attempts to round out its 2026 recruiting class. Williams was one of 17 recruits to commit to Florida in the months of June and July.

"It's cool to see the class building, and a lot of great guys, a lot of good players, and I'm really excited just to work with those guys and see how good we can be and keep building on the class," Williams said. "We're not done yet, so I'm excited to see who comes."

With his recruitment out of the way, Williams has also transitioned his focus back to his senior season, where Buchholz is hoping to finally reach a state championship game after four-straight years of being eliminated in the state semifinal.

"He is able now to just relax. He's committed. He's going to play for the orange and blue, and now he can just set his sights on being the best leader he can be," Whittemore said. "So I'm really thankful for him that this decision was able to me made."

Buchholz opens the 2025 regular season on Aug. 21 against Ocala (Fla.) Vanguard.

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