HAMPTON, Ga. -- ESPN 300 wide receiver and Tennessee commitment Preston Williams was presented with his Under Armour All-America Game jersey Friday afternoon.
Williams understands the magnitude of this honor for his school and community, but is balancing the numerous accolades with a laser focus on his senior season at Lovejoy High.
"I mean, it’s really big," Williams said. "...Right now, we are focused on the season and the road to the dome and trying to win a state championship. It’s big, but right now we are focused as a team on this season."
Lovejoy head coach Edgar Carson has had a front-row seat to watch Williams not only grow as a player, but as a person.
"I came here when Preston was a freshman. He was a raw athlete and you could see the talent, but he has continued to grow. I think running track has helped him, as well as playing other sports," Carson said. "He has grown on the football field, but has also grown off the football field, too. Preston is a different guy. He's into modeling, he's into fashion and he markets himself. He gets along with his teammates well, and gets along with all types of kids real well. You might see him sitting at a table with all types of kids, he takes to everyone and is good for this school."
Williams committed to Tennessee one year ago this Sunday, and has remained solid in his pledge to the Volunteers even though programs such as Georgia, Florida and Auburn have continued to try their best to chip away at Williams’ verbal pledge.
#Vols commit & #ESPN300 WR @ThResort receives his Under Armour All-America Game jersey on homecoming at Lov... https://t.co/jyPNFWHFff
— Gerry Hamilton (@HamiltonESPN) September 19, 2014
Seven questions with Preston Williams
Who is one player you are looking forward to competing against?
Williams: I’ve pretty much seen them all. They are all good athletes, and we are all there for a reason. I’m not going to sit here and call out anybody, but I think people should be wanting to go against me. I’m dangerous. I’m underrated. There isn’t anybody I’m really looking for.
If you were to start a team with any other player in your class, who would it be and why?
Williams: My boy Kahlil [McKenzie]. He’s a great guy. We can run a team together. He can run a defense, and I can run the offense. We would make a really good team.
Who is the best player to ever play in the Under Armour game that you know of?
Williams: Probably Julio [Jones]. He’s a jack-of-all-trades man. He’s physical, he’s big and he’s fast. Alabama probably could have got him the ball more, because he’s great.
What is your earliest football memory?
Williams: Wearing number 65 and playing running back. I was probably six years old. It was crazy. I was more of a baseball freak. I didn’t start loving football until middle school really.
Which football player did you idolize or want to be like when you were a kid?
Williams: I always thought I was Peyton Manning. I can throw, I mean I think I could have played quarterback because of baseball. Peyton Manning has always been my favorite quarterback.
What number do you wear and why?
Williams:I wear number 11. The reason is because 1-on-1, I’m the most dangerous.
What is one thing people would be surprised to know about you?
Williams: I don’t even know. I think everybody knows everything about me. People think that I’m going to flip, or go to Alabama a lot and will end up there. I don’t know why people think that.
