Ryan Williams won’t be 17 anymore when the 2025 Alabama football season begins. The Crimson Tide wide receiver, the most famous minor in college football during his true freshman year, will be facing enormous expectations as a sophomore, with a new quarterback and facing defenses that have plenty of tape on him.

On Jan. 24, 2024, Saraland five-star wide receiver Ryan William s re-committed to Alabama football, initially ending his commitment after Nick Saban's retirement. One year later, Williams, per DeBoer, has developed into one of the leaders of the Crimson Tide wide receiver room before he's reached his 18th birthday.

On3’s Ari Wasserman dropped his top 10 players returning for the 2025 college football season, with Alabama wide receiver Ryan Williams coming in at No.4. Williams was fantastic in 2024, as he finished with 48 catches for 865 receiving yards and eight receiving touchdowns in his freshman season as a 17-year-old.