Domonique Williams on his commitment, plans and season to date
Domonique Williams is Kentucky's lone junior college commitment from the 2018 recruiting cycle. As Kentucky has built a roster with improved depth, recruiting junior college players hasn't become as much of a regular necessity at multiple positions.
But it's easy to understand why Williams, a 5-foot-11, 185-pound Tennessee native via Highlands C.C., was appealing to Kentucky's coaches this summer.
Williams has been recruited as a nickelback and currently that position is occupied by senior Kendall Randolph, where junior strong safety Mike Edwards backs him up. There's a need for depth and perhaps someone who can play right away at the spot in 2018, and a JUCO serves a clear purpose in such a situation.
Williams, who was committed to Dean Hood's EKU program coming out of high school, had a strong camp at Kentucky this summer and the Wildcats accepted his verbal commitment shortly after that performance in Lexington, where Cats Illustrated was able to observe.
Since the start of Williams' 2017 season he hasn't done anything to dampen Kentucky's enthusiasm for what he might bring to the team next year. He had seven tackles in Highland's first game, a close win, and last week in a 27-23 loss to Garden City he had six more tackles and returned a blocked field goal 82 yards for a touchdown.
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"Individually I think I've played good. Our defense, our D-Line, is helping me to play well by the way they're getting a lot of pressure on the ball and forcing running backs to the outside," Williams said.
Williams is playing strictly cornerback this year for Highlands, although nickel, safety and cornerback are possibilities at Kentucky starting next year.
Williams said he stays in contact with defensive backs coach Steven Clinkscale and Hood, and he talks to Mark Stoops "here and there" as well. He plans to enroll a semester early, which means when this semester at Highlands C.C. is finished, he'll be ready to move to Lexington.
"I haven't set up my official visit yet," Williams told Cats Illustrated this week. "But I think I'm gonna take it during the Louisville game. That's what I'm planning."
He wasn't able to watch Kentucky's season opener against Southern Miss but he did see the outcome and talked to the UK coaches about the game.
Williams said he is solidly committed to Kentucky and "no new schools have come after me, but Colorado State and Iowa State are still on me strong." He does not plan to officially visit any schools other than Kentucky.
