Alabama WR Ryan Williams listed in top 15 players for 2025
By Sydney Hunte
Published:
Alabama wide receiver Ryan Williams made a splashy entrance to college football in 2024, raking in 1st-team All-SEC and Freshman All-America honors in his first season with the Crimson Tide.
He did it, as was brought up numerous times throughout the year, at just 17 years old.
Now, the spotlight will shine even brighter on the rising sophomore in 2025. In fact, PFF named Williams its No. 12 player for the upcoming season. Here’s what PFF wrote on Williams:
While Williams’ first college season didn’t match Jeremiah Smith’s otherworldly freshman campaign, it was still incredible.
The top-five recruit’s 865 receiving yards ranked second to Smith among FBS true freshmen — and second among all true freshmen over the past three seasons. Williams also paced all true freshmen this past season with 170 receiving yards after contact and trailed only Smith in yards after the catch (397), receiving touchdowns (eight) and yards per route run (2.51).
He has elite speed and body control at 6 feet and 175 pounds. And did you know Williams was only 17 years old for all of his freshman season? Has anyone mentioned that?
All jokes aside about Williams’ age, it didn’t take long for him to stake his claim as one of college football’s best wide receivers.
The 6-foot receiver made 48 receptions for 865 yards and 8 touchdowns last season. He was at his absolute best against Georgia on Sept. 28, when he brought in 6 receptions for 177 yards in a massive victory.
And if Alabama can get back to the College Football Playoff and claim the program’s 19th national title, Williams will be a major reason why.
Sydney is an Atlanta-based journalist who has covered everything from SEC and ACC football to MLS, the U.S. men's national soccer team and professional tennis. His work has appeared on such platforms as SB Nation, Cox Media Group and FanSided.
