What ever happened to?

Raymond Williams was a four star recruit in 2004 according to Rivals and a Parade All-American. Raymond was recruited to WVU as a DB or RB after being named the Ohio Mr. football in 2003. Williams ran for 3,250 yards and 39 touchdowns as a junior and 2,941 yards and 40 touchdowns as a senior. His commitment to WVU was seen as a big coup at the time as Williams had offers from Indiana, Nebraska, Ohio State, and Pittsburgh. A second Parade All-American in that recruiting class named Brandon Barrett would finally give the Mountaineers an explosive offensive threat at receiver. Most fans of WVU have heard the tale of Barrett before. The WR was disqualified his freshman year for grade troubles and spent his time off from the team getting arrested for marijuana possession. He then came back to the team as an invited walk-on and saw some limited playing time as a sophomore. After a great spring game, Barrett was poised to be a down field threat the Mountaineers needed to take the next step. Instead Barrett disappeared during summer school's second session and was booted from the team. The team took the next step without him and won the Sugar Bowl. This past year would have been Barrett's senior season.

Barrett's situation may be a little bitter for most Mountaineer fans because of the wasted talent of a 4-star kid from Martinsburg, WV. However, the story of Raymond Williams is much worse and much darker. Williams had his scholarship offer revoked by WVU after he was charged with manslaughter in the death of a Benedictine High School teammate in 2004. Williams was the supposed mastermind of a robbery that had 16 year old Lorenzo Hunter pull a toy gun on victims.

Lorenzo, a 6-foot-4 sophomore wideout on last year's championship team, was drawing comparisons to NFL star Randy Moss, Smith's former Vikings teammate. In contrast to Williams, Lorenzo was on solid ground in Benedictine's rigorous academic program.

A first victim was robbed of $20 and a cell phone, but the second drew a real weapon and fired four times in to the chest of Hunter. Raymond took Hunter's cell phone, so Hunter couldn't be identified, and ran. Williams plead guilty and the defense attorney used the "kids being kids" excuse during sentencing.

Williams got off light during sentencing with 5 years probation and an order to attend college and maintain a "C" grade average. Williams attempted to walk-on to the Universtiy of Toledo, but failed to qualify academically. Now this:

Last week, Williams, now 21, appeared in Toledo Municipal Court in a theft and trespassing case and was banned from campus. Williams was accused of stealing a wireless recording system from the University of Toledo bookstore in January. Those charges were combined with charges of failing to confine and not vaccinating a pitbull.

This is in addition to not attending school and being charged with driving under the influence recently. A probation violation hearing is now being scheduled. Williams never made it to WVU as a student-athlete and it appears as though he may be spending quite a long time in a correctional institution in the near future. If you find this story a little depressing just wait, Robin will post some cheesecake soon.