Osseo offensive lineman Jerome Williams' meteoric rise to a 4-star prospect
OSSEO, Minn. -- Osseo football has one of the top players in the state.
"I definitely took a big jump from sophomore year to junior year," said senior offensive lineman Jerome Williams. "Starting to figure things out more, learning the game of football more. Watching more film."
Williams is one of just two four-star prospects in Minnesota, per 247 Sports. He's committed and has signed to play college football for the University of Minnesota. A meteoric rise, because he only started playing his freshman year.
"I always thought I was a fast learner but I never really took football too serious until after my sophomore year," said Williams. "I just wanted to get a lot better. It was always me at film sessions getting picked on at film sessions because I wasn't doing a good just. I was on our varsity field as a sophomore. I didn't really know what I was doing."
That quickly changed, as Williams has secured previously unthinkable accomplishments.
"I had hoop dreams," said Williams. "I wanted to be a DI basketball player. So I would not expect I would be at this place right now."
"He obviously brings great length. Great athletic ability. Good strength," said Osseo head football coach Ryan Stockhaus. "He's been a three-year starter for us now at this point. Watching him develop as a player. We still talk to him about how he's got a long way to go. His best football is yet in front of him, still."
The physical tools are there and the ceiling is high. Recruiters and coaches eagerly describe Williams as a raw talent.
"If you're already a pretty solid person and people are thinking you can get better once you get the full understanding of it, I think that's a pretty big thing. So I just take it as a compliment," said Williams.
Osseo starts its season visiting rival Maple Grove on Thursday.