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The Tuscaloosa News
How will Ryan Williams impact Alabama football as a freshman? Here's what we know
- Story byThe Tuscaloosa News
- How will Ryan Williams impact Alabama football as a freshman? Here's what we know
Ryan Williams has yet to play a real-game snap for Alabama football , but the true freshman has quite the buzz surrounding his name entering his first season in Tuscaloosa.
Williams reclassified to join the Crimson Tide and coach Kalen DeBoer a year early, reclassifying from the 2025 class to the 2024 class, officially enrolling at UA this summer. He came to the Capstone as a five-star prospect per the 247Sports Composite and was Alabama 's highest-rated commitment in its 2024 class.
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On July 31, Williams and Alabama officially got its preparation for the 2024 season underway, beginning fall camp. It did not take long for the 6-foot-0, 175-pound Williams to stand out, making a one-handed grab at the first day of practice.
"We don't think about (him supposed to still be in high school) too much," offensive coordinator Nick Sheridan said early into fall camp. "He's acclimated himself, he's great with the team. I think his teammates respect him because of how hard he works. I think that's how you earn the trust of your teammates, by working really hard."
Sheridan added that two things stand out about the true freshman — his explosiveness and ability to track the ball well — and that he has been "on it" regarding communication.
"I think the hardest thing for a young freshman wide receiver is just getting lined up properly, and that has never been an issue for him," Sheridan said. "He has been on it as far as recognition of communication, whether it be signals or in the huddle or whatever it may be"
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Jalen Milroe was asked about Williams a few practices into fall camp, praising Williams' competitiveness early through practice.
"He's doing a good job of competing," Milroe said. "This is his first live action now with going against our defense. He is doing a really good job of competing, getting better and honestly just trying to be the better version of himself. He's led by coach Shep, who is doing a really good job with him and that's going to push him to be the best receiver he can be."
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Milroe also added that he hasn't found his go-to guy yet within the receiver room, but that he has a good idea who it'll be when the time comes.
The Crimson Tide works out on the first day of practice for the 2024 season Wednesday, July 31, 2024. Alabama wide receiver Ryan Williams (2) makes a one-hand catch.
"We're finding that guy," Milroe said. "But I can say that I have in mind who is going to be ready to go by the time Game 1 happens."
Following the team's first scrimmage on Saturday, DeBoer said the ball was spread around with nearly every receiver recording a catch, not mentioning anybody specifically.
"You know, when you have scrimmages like this, we'll personnel things and we'll get guys in a gameplan," DeBoer said. "Right now, especially in a first scrimmage, a lot of it is just, you're just lining up and — we call it X, Y, Z and H — those guys are playing those spots. So the ball really gets spread around. If we look at the stat sheet it would be almost every receiver catching balls. So it's not really just one guy had 5-to-7 catches. They all walk away from a day like today disappointed, you know, and there's no reason to be disappointed. It's just because everyone gets involved, everyone gets their touches, you know. So it's not like anyone was highlighted today. There's just good, solid plays. Plays that I'd expect guys to make, and they made them. You didn't really see the ball on the ground when there's clear-cut catches and that's what I like. The plays that should be made, they were being made."
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On Sunday at Fan Day, Williams could be seen lining up alongside Germie Bernard and Cole Adams to take reps with Alabama's first-team. He is competing for playing time in an Alabama wide receiver room that lost its top-three contributors from last season but returns experience through Bernard, Kendrick Law , Kobe Prentice and Emmanuel Henderson. While it is unclear if Williams will immediately see playing time, it is clear Williams is a budding star for the Crimson Tide.
This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: How will Ryan Williams impact Alabama football as a freshman? What we know
