“He is one of the most mature kids I’ve ever recruited.” When the GOAT, Nick Saban, utters those words, you know they carry weight. While most 18-year-olds are preoccupied with the latest gadgets, Ryan Williams is already stepping up to lead an 18-time national championship-winning program. And honestly, he’s earned that spotlight. A two-time Alabama Mr. Football winner, Williams ranks as the No. 3 wide receiver and the No. 1 player in Alabama.
Now, with Saban’s departure, some might say the Crimson Tide has lost a bit of its shine. However, college football analysts are counting on Williams to keep Kalen DeBoer’s boat steady in the turbulent SEC waters. So, is the wide receiver daunted by the weight of expectations? Not even close. In fact, he’s already throwing playful jabs at Alabama’s former quarterback, Jalen Milroe, showing he’s ready for the challenge, and then some.
Will Ryan Williams be the game-changer for Alabama’s 2025 chapter?
Things were too tough for DeBoer, having taken over the GOAT’s seat. After Saban retired, a lot of big-name recruits started backing out of their commitments to Bama, and the Saraland star was one of them. But his best friend, freshman Jaylen Mbakwe, helped bring him back into the fold. That’s when the Ryan Williams era in Tuscaloosa really kicked off. He was the key player in Alabama’s 2024 recruiting class, and he put up 865 yards and 8 touchdowns that year. His power on the gridiron has been so great that analysts now see him as the fix to Alabama’s ongoing struggle with the offense. On the March 23rd episode of The Ruffino & Joe Show, host Blake Ruffino was all praise for the 18-year-old.
Sep 28, 2024; Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide wide receiver Ryan Williams (2) reaches for a pass against Georgia Bulldogs defensive back Malaki Starks (24) during the third quarter at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Mandatory Credit: John David Mercer-Imagn Images
Now isn’t this too much expectation to pin on a player who reclassified to the 2024 class? Maybe not. The offense for Alabama Football was one of the most sporadic in the country in 2024. This was a unit that averaged 44.6 points per game over its first five games of the season. On that note, Ruffino noted, “I do think it in a lot of situations last year, where they struggled offensively, is because they couldn’t find a way to get him [Williams] the football.” Now that Milroe is off to the NFL, who himself struggled with throwing the ball, the analyst expects the WR to take a bigger step forward. What gives Ruffino that hope?
“Forever in my mind, I think about the spin move against Georgia. I think of the just outright ridiculous plays he made down the stretch, the ridiculous plays he made against Tennessee where he faded out at the back of the end zone. But he didn’t have a lot of help from his quarterback; he didn’t have a lot of help from a lot of people, and he still was able to be very productive.” Just as with Ruffino, Williams’ game against Georgia is something the Bulldogs fans will remember for a long time. His 75-yard touchdown catch, featuring an electrifying spin move and a dash to the end zone, showcased his elusiveness. Few Georgia defenders were able to tackle him in open field. But ultimately, Williams and Co. defeated them 41-34.
Against Tennessee, he got restricted to 9.1 average yards per reception yet managed to score a touchdown. The analyst thus stated, “It will be very interesting to me to see a quarterback that has a better ability throwing a football what they can do with a kid like him…I think we saw glimpses of him, even with him almost having double-digit touchdowns, but we saw glimpses of him. We didn’t see the full thing because of the inefficiency of their offense.” Ruffino then rounded it off with the biggest compliment—“Ryan Williams, for me, is the best player in the SEC.” Now the prep on the WR’s part has already begun.
Ryan Williams chose to have fun with his old QB Jalen Milroe
This March, the ex-Alabama QB did make his college program proud with his impressive pro-day feat. His official time was a 4.40, with a 1.44 10-yard split, both of which are outstanding for a draft prospect of Milroe’s size and position. Milroe skipped all physical testing at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis three weeks ago, choosing only to participate in passing drills there. In that way, the Pro Day was his last chance to showcase his skills and woo the scouts.
It did woo his NFL suitors and ex-teammates alike, except one. But the standout wide receiver thought of pulling Milroe’s leg a little and dished out some jokes on his old QB’s way. Right after Milroe’s performance, a 4.37-sec 40-yard dash time, the reporters wanted to know about Williams’ take on it. That’s when he came with a blunt response. “I would definitely beat 4.37.” Well, he had put some extra stress on the word “definitely.”
Ryan Williams then continued, “We already talked about it, me and J-Mil. He has a sneak peek on what he thinks I’m going to run.” Now how is the WR going to oomph up his skills? Well, despite being in the limelight, he refuses to look back at his true freshman season as a wild success—he knows he can still take his game to another level. “I’m getting a little bigger, if y’all (reporters) can tell, just a little bit. So, just trying to impact blocking. Because my guys blocked for me, so just trying to return that favor down the field blocking.” Is Williams being overly critical, or is his relentless drive exactly what Alabama needs?
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