When Avantae Williams signed with the Miami football program on National Signing Day he shocked college football. The Crystal Balls on the 247Sports website had 15 projections unanimously expecting Williams to sign with Florida. Several former Deland High School players have suited up for the Gators.
Williams chose his own path. In a conversation with the Miami Herald, Williams’ high school coach Steve Allen said he wanted to be close enough to home for his family to watch him play in person, but far away enough that people from Deland in Allen’s words “be dragging down there all the time.