Orange land First Verbal

Colleges often view the first commitment, like players view that first offer. Once you get the first one under your belt, the others will fall into place. Syracuse football fans have been anxiously waiting for its first football commitment of 2005 and it has finally arrived.

The first verbal pledge of 2005 is Buffalo (N.Y.) Riverside wide receiver Mike Williams.

"They offered me about three weeks ago. I visited there about a month ago and really liked the coaches and everything about the school,” Williams said. “As soon as they offered I committed a week later. It's close to home and the place I want to be."

Williams is also an accomplished basketball player and plans on trying to basketball at Syracuse as well.

"I talked to the staff about playing basketball and they know that. I also talk to Malik Campbell a lot who is from Buffalo and played basketball and football at Syracuse,” Williams said. “He has been advising me on the best way to go about playing two sports at Syracuse.”

Williams chose Syracuse over offers from Wisconsin, Pittsburgh, Buffalo, Toledo, and Temple. Williams went on to say Ohio State was also showing strong interest in him.”

Mike Williams is a 6-foot-3, 205-pound wide receiver that made first team All-Western New York as a junior in 2004. He led the Riverside football team to a Harvard Cup championship and the basketball team to Yale Cup championship. The first time that has been done since 1984. Williams runs a 4.49 forty and has a 40” vertical leap. He is widely recognized by many as one of the top 10-15 football players in New York State for this upcoming season.