This college football season is already packed with surprises, and Ryan Williams is at the heart of it all, sparking early Heisman talk. Last year, the Alabama wide receiver absolutely shone with Jalen Milroe, helping lead the team to a solid 9-4 record. Some doubted his consistency under pressure, but that story is quickly changing. This 6’0″, 175-pound freak of an athlete isn’t just on the EA Sports College Football 26 cover; he’s bursting onto the scene as the face of a brand new era in college football. He’s only 18, but his talent is already NFL-ready. Now, even Devonta Smith believes in his potential to achieve something incredible.
Well, Ryan Williams’s story speaks for his excellence. He reclassified to join the Crimson Tide in 2024 when he should have been in HS. But here we are talking about his Heisman caliber after a spectacular freshman season. Williams is polished, smooth, and has turned heads this offseason too. And he is entering the 2025 season with an impressive record of 48 catches for 856 yards with 8 TDs last season as a 17-year-old. Now? Even Eagles star WR and Alabama legend DeVonta Smith has just stamped his name on the next Heisman winner list.
Having a Heisman winner believe in you hits different, and DeVonta Smith’s faith in Ryan Williams’ potential says a lot. In a recent interview with “OverTime,” DeVonta Smith was asked if any wide receivers could win the Heisman this season. His answer?
“Yeah, Ryan Williams. Great young receiver, has all the potential, but, you know, it’s only going to get harder. So, he got to keep going.” As DeVonta Smith said this, Williams was sitting nearby, blushing with joy. But Smith’s praise also came with a word of caution. Ryan Williams will face high expectations and tougher competition this season. The journey ahead might be grueling, but in the end, success will surely knock on his door.
DeVonta Smith’s caution does make sense. While Ryan Williams winning the Heisman sounds fair, it’s still very early. This is especially true with Ty Simpson at quarterback.
Simpson shows promise, but it’s unclear how quickly Alabama’s passing game will gel. A young receiver and an inexperienced quarterback could face a steep learning curve, which might hurt their early success. We all saw how an inconsistent pairing went last year when Jalen Milroe and Williams missed a lot of passes, which dragged both of them down. But let’s remember, Williams had some really big moments too.
Last year, Ryan Williams was impressive, averaging 18 yards per catch and scoring 10 touchdowns, even a game-winning one against Georgia. Now, he’s expected to be a flexible receiver, playing both inside and outside. His coach, Kalen DeBoer, fully agrees: “He’s a versatile guy,” DeBoer said. “He can play any position, inside, outside, field, boundary—doesn’t matter. And you have to make sure that we continue to give those opportunities down the field, the things we saw a year ago, explosive play opportunities, but also a lot of it is just getting the ball in his hands.”
Ryan Williams isn’t alone in the Heisman hype; Ohio State’s sensational WR is right there with him, blazing his own trail to glory.
Ryan Williams’ frank take on Jeremiah Smith
Well, both Ryan Williams and Jeremiah Smith turned heads last season. One tried to hold his ground, and another took his team to the national championship and won it. Their contribution secured them spots on the standard and deluxe edition covers of the upcoming College Football 26 video game, releasing July 10th on Xbox Series X|S and PlayStation 5.
Ohio State’s 19-year-old receiver had an exceptional freshman year, setting Big Ten records with 76 receptions for 1,315 yards and 15 touchdowns. While these teens might compete on the stat sheet, they share a fun bond, recently showing off their candid side on the New Wave Podcast. They turned a usual NIL interview into a confessional booth.
When asked about his EA rating in the upcoming season, Williams humbly replied, “Last year, finished strong with a 90 overall. This year, at the beginning of the season, we got to go like 94-95. We got to start strong, but by the end of the season, we going to have that 99. We going to finish strong. We just not going to worry about it,” he said. “That’s not a true…That’s not a true [estimation] overall, you know. Y’all can give me like 60-62. I’ll take it.” That’s the kind of belief one should have in oneself.
However, when it came to rating Jeremiah Smith, Williams made sure he went all out. “Overall 95. Speed, it can’t be higher than mine, so we going to say 96, 97,” he said of the Buckeyes WR. And his best attribute? “Strength, if mine was a 62, he got to be about 80. I had seen some crazy stuff. So yeah, about a 75, 80.” Smith laughed it off and dished it right back. “Overall 95, 96. Speed, I’m going to go 97, 98,” he said, and made a long pause for the next rating. “Strength, 65.” Every playful jab is stitched with mutual respect.
At 6’0″ and 175 pounds, Ryan Williams has incredible speed that even Smith admires. “His speed is different. I’ve got a little speed, but I’d take his speed for sure. I need that,” Smith said.
In return, Williams respects Smith’s size and skill. “He’s a big dog,” Williams said. “I wish my hands were bigger. If I had his hands, oh my goodness, it’d be crazy.” The season’s about to reveal its true game-changer, but for now, it’s a show of mutual respect and hype among wideouts like Jeremiah Smith, Ryan Williams, and DeVonta Smith.
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