#NSD2020: Jaylin Williams
FAYETTEVILLE – Jaylin Williams has signed a National Letter of Intent with the Razorbacks, head coach Eric Musselman announced. Williams is the 2020 Gatorade Player of the Year for Arkansas as well as being both a consensus four-star recruit and top 100 player in the nation.
“Jaylin is another versatile player, one that can play the 4 or the 5, that possesses a well-rounded skill set,” Musselman said. “He can play on the perimeter; he can space the floor, especially with his 3-ball shooting; and he is a good passer. Jaylin is well coached and, like his former high school teammate Isaiah Joe, knows how to take a charge. He is one of those rare players who can go get a defensive rebound then use his ball-handling ability to bring the ball up the floor.”
Williams is the third player in the past four years to be Arkansas’ Gatorade Player of the Year and pick the University of Arkansas, joining Daniel Gafford and Joe. Williams is also listed as the top prospect in Arkansas by 247Sports.
A 6-10 center from Fort Smith’s Northside HS, Williams was additionally selected by Hogville.net as the Arkansas Boys High School Co-Player of the Year with fellow signee Davonte Davis. Williams added 6A All-State honors by the Arkansas Activities Association and Arkansas Democrat-Gazette’s first-team All-Arkansas (all classes).
Williams is tabbed as the 61st-best recruit in the country – and ninth-best at his position – by Rivals. 247Sports Composite has Williams ranked 71st nationally and the 12th-best center in the country. He is ranked 80th nationally by 247Sports. He is listed 90th on the ESPN Top 100 while also earning additional rankings of the 13th-best center in the nation, the 26th-best player in the region and fourth-best player in Arkansas.
This past season, Williams averaged 18.7 points and 12.2 rebounds while adding 2.5 blocks and 2.7 assists per contest. He led Northside to a 20-10 record and the semifinals of the 6A State Championship all while maintaining a 3.81 GPA in the classroom.
As a junior, Williams was named All-State and the Division I Player of the Year by the Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. He averaged 16 points, 11 rebounds and three blocks per game while helping the Grizzlies to the Class 6A state title. In that game, he had 20 points, 16 rebounds and three blocked shots, which Northside won 44-41 over Bryant. Williams played at Northside with current Razorback Isaiah Joe and the pair helped the Grizzlies reach the state final in 2018.
This past summer, Williams was named to the All-EYBL Breakout Team. He averaged 11.8 points, 10.4 rebounds for Woodz Elite.
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