Lakeland wide receiver Tyler Williams commits to Georgia

LAKELAND — Tyler Williams left the stage prior to his announcement on what college he'll commit to, and when he returned, the school he chose was obvious.

Instead of opening his jacket to reveal the school, the Lakeland senior wide receiver came back holding a Bulldog. He chose the University of Georgia.

And the reason for his decision?

"I would really say growth — growing into the best version of me," Williams said. "Taking my game to the next level, and that's what I feel they can do for me."

Williams said watching Georgia the first game this season was a major factor in his decision.

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"After I saw the numbers they put up, that's when I really knew," he said.

Williams pointed out that a lot of players touch the ball and get reps, and that's what appealed to him.

A versatile player who excels as a kickoff and punt return player, Williams said the Georgia coaches told him they plan to use him on special teams as well as various spots as a receiver.

Willams, who earlier narrowed his choices to six school, including Miami and South Carolina, said his final decision came down to two schools.

"A lot of people were saying Miami, but it came down between Georgia and South Carolina," Williams said.

While some players continue to make visits to schools after they commit, Williams is locked in on Georgia.

"I think I'm done," Williams said. "I think I found my home."

And he'll arrive at his new home in January.

Williams said he found out last Wednesday that he'll be able to graduate Lakeland in December, and he plans to enrolled early in January to be available for spring practice.

Williams said it was easy to focus on his grades despite all the recruiting distractions.

"At a point in time, you have to zone out everybody else and just focus in on what you've got to do," he said. "So that's the biggest thing. Don't let this stuff get to you."

Williams arrived on the high school sports scene at Winter Haven, first on varsity in basketball as a freshman then as a varsity quarterback his sophomore year.

After transferring in the spring of 2021 from Winter Haven to Lakeland, Williams moved from quarterback to wide receiver just prior to the '21 season.

Shortly after, his first offers came rolling in, and he piled up 44 offers.

It's been a whirlwind experience for him. The part he enjoyed most, he said, was seeing how college players live their life.

"How they conduct themselves, how they practice, just the little stuff," he said. "Once you get to college, it's a business, so how they maintain themselves and not get caught up with the crowd."

And the downside?

"I wouldn't say least liked, but the thing that made me kind of aggravated was all the texting and the calls," he said.

Williams thanked his mother, Shanteria Williams, for his success.

"Without her, none of this would be possible," he said. "She set all this up. She really put me in a position to be here."

His mother obviously his proud of what he has accomplished and how he handled himself through the recruiting process.

"It's a lot for a kid, especially a 17-year-old," she said. "I think Tyler was very mature throughout the process."

He showed that maturity throughout his high school career in putting in the work on the field and in the classroom to get to this point.

"I always reminded him that if you works hard, you can trust in the process," Shanteria Williams said.

The entire process culminated with Tuesday's event and him walking on stage with the Bulldog.

"I just wanted to do something different," he said. "I never saw anyone do this before, so that's the first thing I thought of."

The dog's name is Lotto and is about seven or eight months old.

"It's a one of a kind dog," Williams said. "It's a different breed, and I think of myself as a different breed."

Roy Fuoco can be reached at roy.fuoco@theledger.com or at 863-802-7526. Follow him on Twitter: @RoyFuoco.

This article originally appeared on The Ledger: Lakeland wide receiver Tyler Williams commits to Georgia