Auburn football: Ranking every five-star recruit in program history

As much credit as Jason Campbell deserves for the Tigers undefeated 2004 season, Carnell “Cadillac” Williams was probably the best player on the team.

A five-star recruit in the class of 2001 out of Etowah high school in Alabama, Williams had size and speed which is why he was the nation’s No. 16 overall recruit and the state’s second-best player.

If the former five-star didn’t have to share carries with Casinious Moore, Ronnie Brown, Brandon Jacobs and Tre Smith throughout his career, he would’ve been even more successful but, that simply wasn’t the case.

Williams’ big breakout season finally came when he was a junior where he racked up 1,307 rushing yards and 17 touchdowns on 5.4 yards per carry.

The next season, Williams’ stats decreased to 1,165 yards and 12 touchdowns but that’s only because he and Brown combined to create arguably the best running back duo in college football history.

Both Brown and Williams would go in the top five of the ’05 draft with Cadillac going fifth overall to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Although his NFL career didn’t quite live up to expectations due to injuries, Williams is easily one of the best players in Auburn history.

Williams’ 3,831 career rushing yards ranks only behind Bo Jackson in Auburn history and his 45 total rushing touchdowns beat out every other player in the University’s storied athletic history.

Cadillac has been serving as the Tigers’ running backs coach since January of 2019.