Arkansas has landed in the thick of another national recruiting race, this time for one of the most coveted wings in the 2027 class.
AJ Williams, a 6-foot-7, 220-pound forward from Eagles Landing Christian Academy, included the Razorbacks in his top 10 schools on Monday. The list also features Auburn, BYU, Duke, Georgia, Georgia Tech, Illinois, Kentucky, Mississippi State and North Carolina.
Williams is rated as the No. 5 overall prospect in the 2027 cycle by 247Sports, and he checks in as the No. 2 small forward in the class and the No. 1 player in Georgia after reclassifying from 2028.
The Georgia native has already shown why so many high-major programs are chasing him. As a sophomore this past season, he put up 32 points and 13 rebounds per game for Eagles Landing. He carried that production into the summer on the Nike EYBL circuit with Team CP3, where he averaged 21 points, eight rebounds and nearly two assists per game.
He also shot 43.2% from the floor and hit 34% of his attempts from three-point range during the summer.
Arkansas offered Williams in July, though the Razorbacks have been involved with him for a while. He has not taken an unofficial visit to Fayetteville yet, but he has visited Auburn, Duke and Georgia Tech. According to On3’s Joe Tipton, he is now finalizing official visit dates.
Williams fits the kind of player John Calipari tends to target. He can create offense in isolation, score at all three levels and bring a matchup problem almost anywhere on the floor. His size, athleticism and confidence make him difficult to contain, especially when he’s willing to pull up from deep or work into his smooth midrange game.
His versatility stands out just as much. He can line up at all five positions, and with a frame already listed at 225 pounds, there’s still room for more strength. That gives him the profile of a player who can overwhelm smaller defenders and test bigger ones.
On the other end, Williams brings real defensive impact. He uses his vertical to challenge shots at the rim, and even when he’s a step late, his length lets him bother plays around the basket. He also shows a feel for angles off the glass and isn’t shy about chasing rebounds that carom long.
His production in Georgia high school basketball has already carried over to the EYBL stage, which only adds to his appeal as one of the top names on Arkansas’ board.
The Razorbacks’ future roster is still taking shape, but a return from point guard Davion Thompson and center Caleb Ourigou for their sophomore seasons would already give Arkansas a strong foundation. Williams is one of several major 2027 targets on the board, along with No. 1 overall prospect Beckham Black, No.
2 CJ Rosser, No. 3 Cayden Daughtry, No.
4 Demarcus Henry, No. 7 Lewis Uvwo and No.
18 Paul Osaruyi.
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