Cam Williams brings work ethic, sweet tooth to South Bend
GLEN ELLYN, Ill. (BVM) — Cam Williams shined on the field for Glenbard South High School this season. In fact, he is the No. 1 player in the state of Illinois for the 2024 class according to 247 Sports.
Like most highly touted prep recruits, Williams looks like a man amongst boys on Friday nights. But unlike most recruits, he spends his Saturdays working.
Despite his status as a football prospect, Williams still puts in three-hour shifts at his local gym.
“I was like, ‘Come on bro, you’ve got no money, bruh,’” Williams said jokingly. “You can’t keep asking your family for money. You just feel bad.”
His parents still chip in for his gas money every once in a while, but their efforts to put him in a position to succeed have been much more beneficial for the prep star.
Williams, who grew up a Michigan fan, committed to the University of Notre Dame in June.
Even when he was offered by offensive coordinator Tommy Rees, there was some skepticism from the school about their chances of landing the wide receiver.
“He was like, ‘You’re just gonna go to Michigan anyways,’” Williams said. “‘But we really like you, so we’re gonna offer you.’ I didn’t even know what to say, I was so stunned.”
But a few months later on a recruiting visit in South Bend, something just felt right about the school. It was Williams’ third visit there, but this time around, fellow recruits CJ Carr and Jack Larsen were on campus as well.
“During that entire visit, I had this weird feeling,” Williams said. “It just felt right. It just felt right for me to be at Notre Dame.”
Williams had a similar intuition when he moved from running back to wide receiver in ninth grade. Something just felt right.
As a junior, Williams had 47 receptions, 1,022 yards and 13 touchdowns. Not only did he catch the attention of many scouts and coaches across the country, but he was also noticed by his favorite candy, Trolli.
Williams’ obsession with the gummy worm brand became a running joke on Twitter, where he had interactions with Notre Dame fans and the candy’s official account.
In September, he broke out custom Trolli cleats.
https://mobile.twitter.com/cam_will30/status/1569403836535545859
“I was a huge Skittles fan, but then I needed to take a break from hard candy, so I tried the gummies out,” Williams said. “One bag turned into two bags. The next week turned into three or four, then that became the two-pound bag. Those pound bags turned into a weekly thing, then six months in, the dentist could tell.”
In the modern world of NIL deals, maybe there will be an opportunity to link further with the candy company. But in the meantime, Williams is more focused on what he can do on the field for Notre Dame.
“I’m gonna work my tail off when I get there,” Williams said. “When I get there, I want to prove myself. Stars don’t matter when you get to that level. Overall, I just want to make an impact on the program.”
