Alabama wide receiver commits to the team early, with the possibility of playing right away
Five-star wide receiver Ryan Williams said on Monday that he is reclassifying to 2024 in order to attend the Crimson Tide a year sooner than anticipated, giving Alabama football fans a gift early.
In the 2025 class, Williams was ranked as the fourth best player in the nation; however, due to his early graduation, 247 Sports lowered him to the 14th spot nationwide overall and as the fourth-best wide receiver.
The Saraland High School standout is gaining a head start on his collegiate career by graduating a year early. If he wants to play in Bryant-Denny Stadium before he leaves Tuscaloosa, his chance to do so is rapidly approaching.
There isn’t a definite No. 3 player for Alabama outside of Isaiah Bond and Julianne Burton, the team’s top two receivers. With just a little over 300 yards receiving and fewer than 20 receptions, tight end Amari Niblack and wide receiver Kobe Prentice both have low totals.
With eight touchdowns and a senior status, Burton is likely to try his luck in the NFL. Ja’Corey Brooks, the 2021 Iron Bowl hero, has also entered the transfer portal, meaning that Bond is the only player who can be counted on to start every game.
Though jack-of-all-trades Kendrick Law is expected to earn an expanded role and Bond is clearly the top target at receiver, there will be plenty of snaps for whoever impresses the coaches.
That’s not to say Williams will have an easy time of it; he has his job cut out for him. Amari Jefferson and Rico Scott, two four-star pass catchers, are among Williams’ new recruiting class’s rivals. Benson, a junior, has 162 yards and a touchdown on 13 catches this season; Hale, a rookie, has 158 yards and a touchdown.
Nick Saban and his coaches love competition, so regardless of Williams’ age, he’ll play if he can make an impression. Don’t be shocked if Williams, who is forgoing his senior year of high school and the opportunity to repeat as Alabama Mr. Football champion after taking home the state’s top honor in 2022, can use that sacrifice as motivation. He should start receiving snaps and targets early in the following season.
There is, after all, a reason why Kennington Smith III of The Athletic identified Williams as possessing “the prerequisite traits for an impact player.”
“If not in 2024, he’ll be a major fixture of Alabama offenses for years to come,” Smith stated.
Related Posts
About The Author
