Joel Klatt weighs Ryan Williams' chances at winning Heisman Trophy

Alabama freshman wide receiver Ryan Williams burst onto the college football landscape last season with monstrous performances against Wisconsin and No. 2 Georgia. Many were quick to crown Williams as one of the best players in college football, but he never quite hit those early-season heights down the final stretch of the season.

Williams’ potential, however, heading into his second season of collegiate football, is through the roof as he begins to draw comparisons to former Alabama great DeVonta Smith. Smith, who won the Heisman Trophy in 2020, became the first wide receiver to win the award since Charles Woodson in 1997.

FOX Sports’ Joel Klatt broke down Williams’ potential path to the Heisman Trophy. That came on the Aug. 26 edition of “The Joel Klatt Show.”

“Hey, remember Ryan Williams, the unbelievable true freshman wide receiver at Alabama?” Klatt asked. “He’s plus +4000, 40-1. Whenever you see a wide receiver that has the hype of previous seasons and everyone knows he’s a top-end player in the entire sport (even as young as he was). He was just so good last year. We saw him early against Wisconsin and I was impressed with him then. We saw him and what he was able to do against Georgia. This guy is a game changer on the outside.”

“As they go to Ty Simpson at quarterback, even if Ty Simpson is having a big year, in large part guess why? It’ll be because of No. 2, Ryan Williams. So at +4000, 40-1, I really like that. He started out with a bang last year and I think that consistency will only show up more. And Ryan Grubb (the offensive coordinator) is back attached with Kalen DeBoer. Last year they didn’t have Grubb. If you go back to when DeBoer is most successful throughout his career, it’s because Ryan Grubb and him have been equals together in terms of the offense.”

“Developing the offense. Developing the wide receivers. Remember the Washington receivers a couple of years ago? Well, what if those names end up being Ryan Williams this year? +4000. It’s a heck of a bet. Year two in college. He’s gonna be faster and stronger. He’s gonna be more fully developed and he’s gonna have a new quarterback. So if he’s going off, I think Alabama is a good bet and I think Ryan Williams is a good bet.”

Williams and the Crimson Tide open the 2025 season this Saturday on the road at Florida State. Kick-off is scheduled for 3:30 PM on ABC.