Is fast-rising Hickory Ridge player best cover corner in NC? His new coach thinks so
A focus on defense
Last year was the first time Williams spent an entire season at cornerback. He’d been a quarterback his entire life, but the switch paid dividends. He had 68 tackles, three interceptions and 18 pass deflections for an 11-3 Hickory Ridge team that advanced to the third round of the 4A playoffs.
Williams also scored four touchdowns, had 639 all-purpose yards and earned a spot on the Observer’s All-Region First Team. Since the season ended, he worked out with Hickory Ridge’s track team to improve his speed — he’s down to a 4.47 40-yard dash as of a few weeks ago, Greiner said.
“He’s picked up his speed, but his ball skills are unbelievable,” Greiner said. “You’re talking about true covering ability at the corner position, I’d put him above anybody in the state.”
When Greiner was on Butler’s defensive staff, he coached his fair share of talented defensive backs, including Eddie Whitley, a starter at Virginia Tech, and Robert Blanton, a six-year NFL veteran at safety.
But Williams — the sixth-grader who wanted to star at Hickory Ridge and is now doing just that — still stands above the rest.
“On a pure covering ability,” Greiner said, “I think Garrett’s the best I’ve ever seen.”