FAYETTEVILLE — The state of Arkansas has some interesting prospects at quarterback in the Class of 2023.
Among those is Gosnell’s Floyd Williams, 6-1, 161. He played freshman team quarterback for Blytheville last fall and safety for the high school. He joins many of his close friends at Gosnell for the 2020 season. He doesn’t know what his exact role will be with the Pirates, but glad he’s at the school.
“Really I’m just playing anywhere that really just helps the team,” Williams said. “I’m playing quarterback. We have read-option plays, triple-option plays. We’re gonna be running the ball more. Really more than passing. We will be a more typical high school team running the ball more. I’m a dual-threat QB that comes in.”
He joins a Gosnell squad that was 6-6 in 2019 and advanced to the second round of the Class 4A state playoffs where they lost to Crossett. The Pirates have some talented players returning including running back Travelle Anderson, 6-0, 190, and offensive lineman Tederian Blair, 6-4, 305, both of whom are in the Class of 2022 while already holding a Power 5 offer from Kansas. Class of 2021 wide receiver and linebacker Druw Reynolds, 6-2, 192, is also a college prospect as are some of the other Pirates.
“I grew up with Tederian Blair, wide receiver TJ Reed and the running Travelle,” Williams said. “I grew up with all of them. Me and Travelle live like two houses down from each other. We workout everyday.
“I saw the leadership over here and how the team got together.”
It’s very early in the recruiting process for Williams, but the schools he likes right now, in no order, are Arkansas, Memphis, Alabama, Florida, LSU, Oregon and Kansas.
Williams said the lack of team activities and other aspects of the COVID-19 shutdown of sports and schools has made him appreciate football even more. He talked about his strengths on the field.
“I feel like I’m a great dual-threat QB,” Williams said. “I can run the ball very good. I feel like what people think I can’t do very well is throw the ball, but throwing the ball and reading defenses too. Being a vocal leader. I know what everybody is supposed to be doing. Just being a good teammate and someone my team loves being around.”
He also talked about what he needs to work on the most.
“I have the arm strength, but just putting it at the right place where only the wide receiver can get the ball,” Williams said. “Just putting it timing wise. Just putting the ball at the right spot at the right time.”
Williams expects the Pirates to be among the best teams in Class 4A in Arkansas this fall.
“In my opinion, we are gonna win a state championship and go undefeated,” Williams said. “We have everything we need.”
Williams owns a 3.5 grade-point average, competes in four sports and has been timed at 4.53 in the 40-yard dash.
