Who is Ryan Williams? Meet 17-year-old Alabama freshman WR who is Crimson Tide’s 2024 breakout star | Sporting News

A new college football season means several fresh faces on the field, as many true freshmen suit up for the first time. While few newbies are lucky enough to pocket some playing time this early on, even fewer make an impact the first game of the year. 

Over the first few weeks of Alabama’s season, wide receiver Ryan Williams has certainly made his mark for the Crimson Tide. The 17-year-old only needed one half to score his first two collegiate touchdowns on 84 and 55-yard receptions, and against Georgia in Week 5, his late 75-yard touchdown was the difference-maker in Alabama’s massive win. 

Williams’ connection with quarterback Jalen Milroe is evident, and he is meshing with new head coach Kalen DeBoer’s offense so far. Since Week 1, the freshman has continued to contribute to Alabama’s offense and leads the team in catches, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns.

Here’s everything to know about Williams, the wide receiver who has become the Tide’s breakout star of the 2024 season.

MORE: Meet Kalen DeBoer, Nick Saban’s Alabama replacement

Who is Ryan Williams?

A Saraland, Alabama, native, Williams was a five-star prospect out of high school and ranked as the third-best wide receiver in the 2024 class. At only 17, he is technically supposed to be a senior in high school right now—originally a top recruit in the 2025 class, Williams reclassified into the 2024 cycle last December in order to play for Alabama this season.

Earlier this year, the teenager earned his second Alabama Sports Writers Association’s Mr. Football award, becoming the first player to win it back-to-back. The first time he received the honor, Williams was coming off a stellar sophomore season in which Saraland won the 6A state title. 

When he won the award his junior season, the wide receiver was coming off a 72-reception, 1,324-yard campaign for the Spartans, complete with 19 touchdowns. Four of his scores came in the state championship game, which Saraland dropped in a narrow 31-28 loss to Clay-Chalkville. 

Williams initially committed to Alabama in October 2022. But he decommitted upon Nick Saban’s retirement in January and subsequently took a visit to Texas A&M. In the end, though, Williams recommitted to the Tide on Jan. 24 and solidified his place in a 2024 recruiting class that ranked second in the nation on 247Sports.

Ryan Williams’ nickname

Since he was six or seven, Williams has owned the nickname “Hollywood” due to his athleticism on the field. His dad, Ryan Williams Sr., said the name-calling started off in their home but then slowly creeped into the vocabulary of everyone who would watch him play.

MORE: Alabama football schedule 2024

Ryan Williams stats

The true freshman had a ridiculous stat-line at halftime of Alabama’s opening matchup against Western Kentucky, with two catches and two touchdowns in the 63-0 win.

In the Crimson Tide’s two games after the opener, dominant wins against USF and Wisconsin, Williams combined for eight receptions, more than 140 yards and two touchdowns. He leads the team in all three categories. 

Against Georgia, ranked the second-best team in the country at the time, Williams exploded for 177 receiving yards and a touchdown on six catches, leading the Crimson Tide to a huge 41-34 win.

Here is how he’s performed so far this season.