JUCO DB: Kentucky's in really good shape
Kentucky offered Highlands C.C., cornerback Domonique Williams on Monday after the coaches had a chance to watch him work out.
The 5-foot-11, 185-pound defensive back, a potential plug-and-play option in the 2018 class, isn't tapping the brakes on his enthusiasm for Mark Stoops' program.
"That was a big one for me," Williams said of Kentucky's offer when CatsIllustrated.com caught up with him later on Monday. "Like, I don't know ... it just meant something to me, especially coming from Coach (Dean) Hood, since he was the coach I signed with coming out of high school at Eastern Kentucky. Me and him have had a good relationship throughout (the recruiting process) and so this just feels like a special offer, also with it being close to home."
Williams signed with Eastern Kentucky coming out of high school but he greyshirted his first year. He didn't make the grades required, and at that point headed out to Highlands Community College.
"Coach Hood was the head coach, so I mean, I didn't really have all that big a relationship with him but at the same time he was the head coach I signed with," Williams recalled. "My mother went on an official with me at Eastern Kentucky and she liked him. She came up and they have a good relationship."
The defensive back said he was impressed with Kentucky's "all new facilities," the "great atmosphere," but most of all the vibe in the program.
"It's like a big family. Everybody knows each other. They can play around and they like each other but they get serious," he said.
Last Tuesday, Williams visited Alabama. He turned in a strong performance and had a meeting with one of the Tide's assistants for about half an hour. Alabama did not ultimately offer, but that was a sign of Williams' talent.
"As far as camps go, Kentucky was my last camp. I'll see what I get from here. I'm not gonna get too deep into the season. I'm not 100-percent sure but I think I want to shut it down and have a decision by the time my season starts," Williams said.
So is Kentucky in a good spot right now?
"Kentucky's in a real good spot," he said. "Real good spot."
The UK coaches had Williams working out in a lot of different ways at the camp on Monday. He defended the slot and the staff believes he can "just be versatile in the secondary, and do what it takes to make me a better player on the market" after his time in the SEC.
Williams also said he loved working with Steven Clinkscale, UK's defensive backs coach.
"This was my first time meeting him," the former Knoxville, Tenn., resident said. "I went to Kentucky over spring break but I got to work with him this time and I enjoyed it."