Ex-Buckeye WR Jameson Williams explains decision to transfer to Alabama

As a high school recruit, Jameson Williams was one of the most coveted wide receivers in the 2019 recruiting class. The 4-star prospect was ranked as a Top 100 talent and considered one of the best players at his position.

Ohio State was thrilled to land him as a member of a loaded 2019 class.

Two years later, Williams was a coveted player once again, this time as an Ohio State transfer. Following the 2020 campaign, the sophomore receiver opted to enter his name into the NCAA transfer portal to explore opportunities outside of Columbus.

In a recent interview with Rivals.com’s Andrew Bone, Williams explained why he made the decision to leave the Buckeyes and explore other opportunities and eventually commit to Alabama.

“To me, things were just unclear,” Williams said. “I wasn’t certain of my role in the offense. The receiver room got crowded. I just decided I needed a fresh start. I decided to enter the portal.”

In two seasons at Ohio State, Williams caught 15 passes for 266 yards and 3 touchdowns. He made a huge impact in the Buckeyes’ Sugar Bowl victory over Clemson, making 3 catches for 52 yards and a touchdown in a 49-28 win that propelled Ohio State to the national championship.

Ohio State lost to Alabama 52-24 a week later, and now, Williams will be suiting up for the Crimson Tide. So, why Alabama?

“My phone was going crazy. I couldn’t text or call anyone because my phone was going off non-stop,” Williams said. “As soon as Bama hit me up, I was like damn is this for real?

“I now had a chance to play at Bama. It was really the only thing on my mind when I had that chance. I let other schools recruit me. I wanted to give them a chance, but Alabama was the best place for me at the end of the day.”

Williams played in 22 career games at Ohio State and will have three years of eligibility remaining at Alabama.