Tag: Ryan Williams

CBS Sports ranks Top 10 CFB WR’s for the 2025 season

Alabama’s Ryan Williams ranked No. 2 WR in CFB heading into 2025, according to CBS Sports.

The first year of the Kalen DeBoer era didn’t necessarily go to plan for the Alabama Crimson Tide, with four losses and missing out on the first 12-team Playoff. However, there is still a lot to love about what’s on the horizon in Tuscaloosa.

The Crimson Tide will return one of the best rosters in the sport, but with Jalen Milroe departing for the NFL draft, the biggest question will be to see how the QB battle plays out. There is no shortage of wide receiver talent on this Alabama roster led by the 17-year-old phenom Ryan Williams, so whoever is named QB1 will have plenty of weapons.

As a true freshman, Williams hauled in 48 receptions for 865 yards and 8 TDs and was named to the All-SEC First Team and Freshman All-American team. Williams, who enrolled in a college a year early, is already viewed as a guaranteed top-five pick in two years. Going into the 2025 season, CBS Sports ranks Williams as the No. 2 WR in the country saying,

“Alabama will be stubborn in its approach to putting the football in the hands of its top player in 2025. A star was born during the Crimson Tide’s win over Georgia when Ryan Williams hauled in six receptions for 177 yards and an acrobatic touchdown. Inconsistencies through the air limited Williams’ numbers the rest of the way, including a frustrating performance during Alabama’s bowl loss to Michigan. Williams is 1,500-yard capable with the right quarterback and development at the position during spring practice will be vital toward his possible production in 2025.”

Ohio State’s Jeremiah Smith is viewed as a generational talent and could be in the conversation for the No. 1 overall pick in 2027. However, with Williams being almost a full year younger I don’t think he’s very far behind Smith at all. In fact, CBS projects Williams to have a massive Sophomore season with 75 catches for 1,267 yards and 13 TDs.

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On3 Sports ranks two Alabama players in their Top 10 for 2025

Ryan Williams and LT Overton ranked Top 10 players in CFB going into 2025 by On3 Sports.

The Alabama Crimson Tide finished their 2024 campaign with a 9-4 record and an ugly bowl loss at the hands of the Michigan Wolverines for a second straight season. It was an especially frustrating season for fans of the Crimson Tide as they had all the talent to make a run at a national title, truth be told, Alabama just couldn’t get out of their own way.

Like every major program, Alabama suffered several losses to the NFL draft and transfer portal, but most of the key pieces for next season have remained intact. On top of returning one of the better rosters in the sport, Kalen DeBoer and the company will receive a boost from the No. 2 recruiting class in the 2025 cycle.

Today, On3 Sports has released their Top 10 players going into the 2025 season, where Alabama, Ohio State and Notre Dame each have two players ranked. Buckeyes phenom freshman WR Jeremiah Smith took the No. 1 overall spot with former Alabama transfer Caleb Downs ranking coming in at No. 3.

Smith is widely regarded as one of the best receivers the college game has ever seen, but Alabama’s 17-year-old phenom Ryan Williams isn’t far behind him. At No. 7 on the list, Thomas Goldkamp of On3 says of Williams,

“For a hot minute in 2024, Williams was being talked about in the same breath as Smith for biggest impact players as true freshmen. But he cooled off a bit in the second half of the season, slipping down the Top 25 players ranking just a touch.”

On the defensive side of the ball, LT Overton also makes the list for the Crimson Tide coming in at No. 9 with Goldkamp saying,

“After spending two seasons at Texas A&M, Overton transferred to Alabama. His transition went very well and he immediately became a difference-maker for the Crimson Tide and one of the Top 25 players in the nation.”

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Three Alabama players among ESPN’s Top 100 ranking from 2024 season

ESPN ranks three Alabama players among their final Top 100 for the 2024 season.

With the 2024 college football season now officially over, ESPN released a list of their Top 100 overall players from this past fall regardless of position, with the Alabama Crimson Tide landing a few names in the ranking.

Among these names listed were some of Alabama’s more prominent players from the 2024 season, some of which were unranked by ESPN to begin the year.

Also included in this were some players who transferred out of Alabama last offseason, but then went on to have one of the best years of their career’s with their respective new team in 2024. These names include: Louisville wide receiver Ja’Corey Brooks (No. 96), Ohio State center Seth McLaughlin (No. 82), Ohio State safety Caleb Downs (No. 18)

Here are the Alabama players who made ESPN’s Top 100 during the 2024 season:

Ryan Williams, Wide Receiver

Randy Sartin-Imagn Images

Ranking: Unranked to No. 71

After starting the season unranked by ESPN, Williams ended the year at No. 71 nationally. The freshman was Alabama’s most productive wide receiver in 2024, ending the season with 48 receptions for 865 yards and eight scores, while also rushing for two more touchdowns.

Jihaad Campbell, Linebacker

Steve Roberts-Imagn Images

Ranking: Unranked to No. 48

Campbell also began the season unranked according to ESPN’s list, but ended the year in the No. 48 spot. The junior linebacker was Alabama’s leading tackler, amassing 117 total with 12 TFL and five sacks.

Tyler Booker, Offensive Line

Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images

Ranking: No. 31 to No. 47

The final Alabama player mentioned by ESPN was Booker, who was the highest-ranked at No. 47 after beginning the year at No. 31. Booker started at left guard for Alabama, and was one of the nation’s top players at the position.

FWAA names Alabama WR Ryan Williams a Freshman All-American

Football Writers Associate of America names Alabama WR Ryan Williams a Freshman All-American.

It has been a little over a year since Nick Saban’s shocking retirement from college football and the Alabama Crimson Tide. While there were many, one of the biggest concerns for the Crimson Tide faithful after his departure was the recruitment of in-state five-star wide receiver Ryan Williams.

Williams initially de-committed after the news, but Kalen DeBoer was able to land a commitment from Williams after just a few weeks in Tuscaloosa. At Saraland High School, Williams was a 2x Alabama Mr. Football who didn’t even play his senior year to enroll early with the Tide, so it was a massive early win for DeBoer in his tenure.

As a true freshman, Williams was the Tide’s clear No. 1 receiver with 48 receptions for 865 yards and 8 TDs while also carrying the ball four times for 48 yards and 2 scores. Williams burst onto the national scene with his game winning touchdown against Georgia and is already widely regarded as a future top ten NFL draft pick.

Since, the Tide’s season ended on Jan. 2, the accolades have been rolling in for Williams as a First-Team All-SEC member and Second-team All-American. To add to the list, the Football Writers Association of America has named Williams as a Freshman All-American.

The Crimson Tide will likely be much more of a pass first offense in 2025 with the departure of Jalen Milroe, so it’ll be fun to see how Williams elevates his game next fall.

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Alabama player makes USA TODAY Sports’ list of early 2025 Heisman Trophy favorites

Check out which Alabama player made the list of way-too-early Heisman Trophy favorites for 2025.

Colorado Buffaloes wide receiver and cornerback Travis Hunter took home the 2024 Heisman Trophy over the weekend,

Could an Alabama football player be in line to win next year’s award? In their way-too-early look at 2025 Heisman Trophy favorites, USA TODAY Sports listed a household name to watch for: Crimson Tide freshman wide receiver Ryan Williams.

Williams joined fellow freshman wide receiver Jeremiah Smith of the Ohio State Buckeyes on USA TODAY Sports’ list.

Austin Curtright of USA TODAY said of Williams:

“(T)he former 5-star recruit who played the entirety of the 2024 season at 17 years old, was one of the best receivers in the country in his first season at Alabama.

“Williams caught 45 passes for 857 yards with eight touchdowns in 2024 and should build upon his performance for what should be his actual freshman season, as he graduated high school early to play for the Crimson Tide.”

Williams’ coming-out party was in the Crimson Tide’s thrilling 41-34 win over the No. 1-ranked Georgia Bulldogs on Sept. 28. He caught six passes for 177 yards, including an electric 75-yard touchdown with 2:18 left that put Alabama back on top after Georgia had rallied from a 28-0 deficit in the second quarter.

Williams and Alabama cornerback Zabien Brown were recently named to the 2024 SEC All-Freshman team.

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Alabama’s Ryan Williams and Zabien Brown named to SEC All-Freshman Team

SEC All-Freshman team’s includes two members of the Alabama Crimson Tide.

On Saturday, the Georgia Bulldogs defeated the Texas Longhorns in overtime to claim the SEC Championship throne. It was a race to the finish, with eight teams having a chance to compete for the championship, including the Alabama Crimson Tide, who ultimately came up just short.

Despite missing out on an SEC Championship and College Football Playoff berth, there are many positive things to take away from the 2024 season. I know people are upset with Kalen DeBoer for the 9-3 finish, but he was in his first year in a new environment and is still the right man for the job.

The future is very bright in Tuscaloosa as DeBoer and the Crimson Tide hold the No. 3 recruiting class in the 2025 cycle and saw solid production from some very young players. WR Ryan Williams and DB Zabien Brown were two freshmen who stood out this season and were both named to the SEC All-Freshman Team.

Williams was second on the Alabama roster in terms of receptions with 45, but led the team in yards with 857 and touchdowns with eight, while also rushing for two more scores. On the defensive side of the ball, Brown finished the season with 17 total tackles, two interceptions and two fumble recoveries.

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Alabama WR Ryan Williams a finalist for Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year Award

Freshman Alabama phenom WR Ryan Williams was named a finalist for the Shaun Alexander Award.

Kalen DeBoer and the Alabama Crimson Tide staff knew that five-star WR Ryan Williams was going to be a special player well before he ever stepped foot on campus. The expectations for Williams have been through the roof, with many people considering him to be DeBoer’s version of Julio Jones, yet he has somehow been better than expected.

As a 17-year-old true freshman, Williams has dominated college football with 45 receptions for 857 yards and eight TDs, including the game-winning score against Georgia. Williams has made a few other dazzling plays on the season, but it seems like most of them have been called back, such as his score against Oklahoma. Williams is in the conversation for best wide receiver in the game right now and will probably bring home a Biletnikoff Award at some point during his college career.

The Shaun Alexander Award, presented annually to the nation’s top freshman, named Williams a finalist for the award alongside Ohio State’s Jeremiah Smith, Minnesota’s Koi Perich, South Carolina’s Dylan Stewart and Texas’s Colin Simmons. The award, named after Alabama legend Shaun Alexander, has only been around since the 2018 season where two former Crimson Tide players have brought home the award in Will Anderson and Caleb Downs.

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Auburn linebacker says Ryan Williams not a ‘big-time player,’ vows not to lose to Alabama

One of Auburn’s top linebackers was asked about the star Alabama wide receiver Monday.

The first day of Iron Bowl game week was certainly a memorable one, even despite the only action coming from the press conferences for the two rivals.

As expected, both the Alabama Crimson Tide and Auburn Tigers commented on the other program Monday, with one of the most noteworthy coming via a comment from what Auburn true freshman linebacker Demarcus Riddick said about the Crimson Tide, in particular star wide receiver Ryan Williams.

“Ryan Williams is Ryan Williams,” Riddick said, “I mean yes, he’s electric. He’s all this and that, but in my eyes he ain’t really nobody to me. Ryan Williams is himself, he ain’t no big-time player to me.”

Riddick also commented on a few other topics surrounding Alabama, which included containing quarterback Jalen Milroe, as well as potentially losing to the Crimson Tide.

“It’s going to be real important in this game,” Riddick said. “He is a good quarterback. He’s fast, but I mean, he’s not faster than me. He will not get out of that box this week, and that’s something I’m going to have to work on all week this week at practice, and is something some of the guys are going to have to help me with.”

“Bama is a big rival team,” Riddick added. “Every rival team I’ve played I’ve never lost to, and I will not lose to Bama while I’m here.”

The Crimson Tide and Tigers are set to meet this upcoming Saturday, Nov. 30 at 3:30 p.m. ET on either ABC or ESPN+.

3 Stars from Oklahoma’s 24-3 upset win over the Alabama Crimson Tide

Three stars from the Oklahoma Sooners upset of the Alabama Crimson Tide.

Oklahoma stunned their fanbase, the SEC, and the college football world on Saturday night putting a stamp on the 2024 season with an upset over the No. 7 Alabama Crimson Tide 24-3. It was Alabama’s first visit to Norman since 2002.

There have been very few things to be excited about this season for Oklahoma football. Oklahoma dominated Alabama along the line of scrimmage for three hours. The Sooners’ season could end on a high note, depending on how they fare in Baton Rouge against LSU and how the Sooners perform in their bowl game.

Saturday’s win was a masterclass in desire, toughness, and physicality. The Sooners were the aggressors from the opening snap, and it didn’t stop until the clock read 0:00.

Oklahoma needed heroic performances to pull off this upset, and we wanted to highlight the three stars we thought lost pivotal to the win.

No. 1 Star – Jackson Arnold/Xavier Robinson

It would be a disservice to not include both Jackson Arnold and Xavier Robinson as the No. 1 star. The two combined for 43 carries, 238 yards, and two touchdowns. Robinson scored twice, but Arnold’s toughness as a runner showed the type of competitive fire we’ve come to expect from Oklahoma quarterbacks.

Robinson’s ability to run through contact as a freshman may be his best trait.  It looks even more impressive against a veteran Tide defense.

Joe Jon Finley routinely hit the right button for the offense and Arnold and Robinson rewarded his faith in the run game. With a dominant performance from the offensive line, the Sooners rode the run game to a monumental win.

No. 2 Star – Eli Bowen, Cornerback

The younger of the two Bowens, Eli, brother is entirely out of his five-star brother Peyton’s shadow. Eli has become one of the best freshman defensive players in the country.

Not only did he hold budding superstar freshman wide receiver Ryan Williams to two catches, but he did so by traveling with Williams most of the game. Wherever Williams lined up, Bowen was there, and the effectiveness never waned. When Bowen was in coverage on Williams, Alabama’s true freshman phenom had just one reception on four targets. The one catch went for 30 yards, but other than that, Bowen put the clamps on.

He completely shut down an entire facet of Alabama’s offense, which made Jalen Milroe’s job even more complicated, considering the Sooners had bottled up the run game.

Did we mention Bowen’s incredible interception? He read the play before Milroe even threw it and blew up the screen while picking off the pass in the process. That’s the highlight that will stand out, but Bowen put together a complete performance in coverage and in run support for the Oklahoma Sooners defense.

No. 3 Star – The Offensive Line

Bill Bedenbaugh’s finest work this season was on display last night. Whatever was said, practiced, or reviewed leading up to the game was flawless. The Sooners had a plan, and they executed it to perfection.

Clearly, the offensive brain trust watched what Vanderbilt did to Alabama earlier this season, and they wondered if they could do the same. It started with the boys up front who just beat up on the Alabama defensive line for 60 minutes. Even though the Crimson Tide knew the Sooners weren’t going to ask their quarterback to drop back and throw it 40 times, Alabama still struggled to stop the Sooners rushing attack. 

Oklahoma started the game with this offensive line combination

  • Left Tackle – Logan Howland
  • Left Guard – Heath Ozaeta
  • Center – Troy Everett
  • Right Guard – Febechi Nwaiwu
  • Right Tackle – Spencer Brown

The Sooners rotated in true freshman Eddy Pierre-Louis, too, and the aggression and movement they created didn’t drop off. Could this be the game that helps spark a massive step forward for the younger Sooners offensive linemen and something they can build on over the remainder of the season?

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Alabama got absolutely hosed by a terrible call that wiped away a beautiful Ryan Williams TD

Alabama got HOSED here.

As truly bizarre as it is to type, Alabama football got hosed on one of the best touchdown catches of the day against Oklahoma on Saturday night.

Down 24-3 on the road to Oklahoma in the fourth quarter, Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe threw a beautiful pass to wide receiver Ryan Williams in the end zone on fourth down.

Williams adjusted on the ball and made a jaw-dropping grab inbounds for the touchdown to get the Crimson Tide back in the game.

However, the refs somehow wiped away the score by calling Williams for “illegal touching” on the play.

If you can see Williams doing anything wrong on this play, please let us know because we’re a bit speechless this was flagged. Even the ABC broadcast’s rules analyst Bill LeMonnier said it was the wrong call.

We live in strange times when Alabama is getting unquestionably jobbed by the refs in crunch time. Welcome to the college football Twilight Zone.

What a brutal break for the Crimson Tide. This wasn’t a flag in any way, and Williams should’ve been granted the touchdown.

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