TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Ryan Williams’ eyes were wide open late in the first quarter. His assignment was simple: a basic go route up the sideline. The true freshman sprinted upfield and was all alone in the secondary, and quarterback Jalen Milroe found Williams and threw the ball up to him.
At that point, Williams had only one thought: “Just run fast and put some points on the board for my guys.”
Williams was one of the stars in Alabama’s 63-0 season-opening win over Western Kentucky on Saturday. His initial touchdown, an 84-yarder, was followed by his second catch when he broke a few tackles for another score (this one from 55 yards). He finished with two catches for 139 yards and two touchdowns.
It was a fitting debut for a player donning the nickname “Hollywood.”
“People forget that he’s 17 years old and (enrolled at Alabama) in the summertime,” Milroe said. “I’m super excited for him because he came in the summer, just put his head down and worked and constantly tried to improve. There’s always room for growth and our offense climbing the ladder, but for now, I’m really proud of him.”
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Williams’ performance was the culmination of several months of hype dating back to his recruitment. A five-star prospect in the 2025 class, Williams re-classified to 2024, graduated high school a year early and re-committed to Alabama after Kalen DeBoer was hired to replace Nick Saban. Williams arrived on campus in the summer and immediately started turning heads in offseason workouts.
That momentum continued in the preseason once the team officially began practicing.
“He’s very mature for his age,” senior defensive back Malachi Moore said. “A lot of the things that he’s done in practice are shocking. He has the ability, but he also has the brains. He’s as smart and knowledgeable as a freshman can be and even a year behind age-wise.
“He’s something I don’t think I’ve ever seen when it comes to Alabama, skipping a grade and going to college and performing as he has.”
Kalen DeBoer, right, made his Alabama coaching debut on Saturday night. (Will McLelland / USA Today)
The buzz around Williams has reverberated throughout Tuscaloosa and sometimes has caught him off guard.
“Probably the craziest thing is being in class and people asking for pictures, like in the middle of class,” Williams said. “You try not to interrupt the professor.”
What has enabled Williams to seamlessly transition into the program, outside of his physical gifts, is his temperament. He’s one of the most notable players on the team already, and that notoriety is going to continue to grow after Saturday’s performance. But those close to him describe a humility that has earned the respect of his coaches and players.
When asked what exactly keeps him grounded, Williams falls back on two key pillars.
“I definitely have a big supporting cast,” Williams said. “My home base (Mobile, Ala.), and then I know my team is gonna hold me to the standard. And to be honest, I’m not even focused on what I just did. You know it’s a blessing, but at the end of the day, we got more games. I have to focus on next week.”
After one game, the speculation about Williams’ role in Alabama’s offense is put to rest: He is a focal point of what the Tide will do this season. He started Saturday’s game alongside Germie Bernard and Kendrick Law, two players Williams highlighted as mentors. Getting the start came as a surprise to Williams, who was a bit startled when his package was called for the game’s opening play.
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He was one of several receivers getting consistent first-team work in practice and has displayed an early chemistry with Milroe.
“I mean, four (Milroe’s number) plus two (Williams’ number) does equal six,” Williams said. “He always just puts it in the perfect place, and I just got to do my job.”
Williams’ job will feature a variety of roles from outside receiver and slot receiver and possibly as a returner. He consistently watches Washington’s star wide receiver trio from a year ago (Rome Odunze, Ja’Lynn Polk and Jalen McMillan) and admittedly idolizes former Alabama great DeVonta Smith due to their similar size and style of play. The two have a relationship, and Williams hopes to follow a similar path (Heisman Trophy, first-round NFL draft pick).
That may feel like a lot for a 17-year-old, but Williams noted he has played up in age groups throughout his life and said this is just the next challenge. He added 10 pounds to his frame since enrolling (now 6 feet 1, 175 pounds) and continues to adjust to the heightened physicality of the college game.
“It just doesn’t seem like the game’s too fast for him,” DeBoer said. “It’s impressive that a guy his age can go out there and do the things he’s doing. He’s got a bright future. Really fun to see him go out there and make those plays that he did tonight; our guys believe in him.”
(Top photo of Ryan Williams (2) and Jalen Milroe: Gary Cosby Jr. / USA Today)
