Latest Florida Commit Shares Incredible Stat With NFL Legend originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
The Florida Gators are on a hot streak in their college football recruitment process, securing four-star wide receiver Justin Williams, who chose the Gators over Florida State, Missouri, Kentucky, and Indiana.
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He is an elite talent at wide receiver and a prolific scorer in high school. He shifted to running back after being a full-time wide receiver, and began to excel.
With his multi-position transition, he achieved a feature in the state of Florida that hasn’t happened in decades.
Williams is the first high schooler to achieve 1,000 rushing yards and receiving yards in the same season since NFL legend Devin Hester, who accomplished that feat in 2002.
Florida Gators head coach Billy Napier.Alan Youngblood/Gainesville Sun
In Williams’ 2024 season, he played in 14 games, where he ran for 1,032 yards and 16 rushing touchdowns alongside 1,473 receiving yards and 13 receiving touchdowns. He Also returned one kickoff for a touchdown.
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Showing he can do it all so far will allow him to go almost anywhere in the Florida system in 2026, depending on where head coach Billy Napier will want him.
He may not follow the same career path as Hester, being primarily a return man, but has that potential with the versatility on the field.
In Hester’s first year in college with the Miami Hurricanes, he returned one kickoff for a touchdown, and was used in the offense as an explosive weapon and in trick plays.
He would end his collegiate career with four punt return touchdowns, two kick return touchdowns, 160 rushing yards and a rushing score, and 196 receiving yards. He even played defense for the Hurricanes, ending his collegiate career with one sack, five interceptions and a fumble returned for a touchdown.
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If the Gators get even half the player that Hester was in Williams, then they may have found themselves one of the next big players in college football.
Related: Jac Caglianone Shines During First Week in MLB
Related: DJ Lagway Reacts to Florida’s Latest Recruiting Win
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 9, 2025, where it first appeared.
