Jameson Williams is leaving Ohio State for the team that beat the Buckeyes in the national championship game.
The former Ohio State wide receiver announced Monday that he is transferring to Alabama.
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Williams chose Alabama among a list of seven finalists that also reportedly included Ole Miss, Texas A&M, Florida, Michigan State, USC and Michigan.
After two seasons at Ohio State, Williams entered the transfer portal following a spring in which he was demoted from the starting lineup in favor of Jaxon Smith-Njigba. He told 247Sports' Allen Trieu over the weekend that there was “nothing personal” about his decision to leave the Buckeyes, and he told 247Sports on Monday that he chose Alabama because of his relationships with the coaches and because he could tell how badly the Crimson Tide wanted him.
“It’s Bama because I felt the want and need of my skill from Coach (Nick Saban) as he explained everything to me,” Williams told BamaOnLine. “And I also had a great relationship with Coach (Holmon) Wiggins from the previous years. He made it most definitely feel like a place that I could be.”
With DeVonta Smith and Jaylen Waddle both now in the NFL after being selected in the top 10 picks of the draft this past weekend, Williams should have an opportunity to compete for a starting spot in Tuscaloosa opposite returning starter John Metchie III.
Ohio State is still loaded at wide receiver even without Williams, with a projected starting lineup of Chris Olave, Garrett Wilson and Smith-Njigba and a projected second line of Julian Fleming, Marvin Harrison Jr. and Emeka Egbuka.
Alabama's decision to bring in Williams, though, indicates that he's still viewed as an elite talent nationwide – and it means he'll still have a chance to compete for a national title even though he's no longer a Buckeye.
