Five-Star Plus+ WR Ryan Williams commits to Alabama

All roads lead to Tuscaloosa for Saraland (Ala.) Five-Star Plus+ wide receiver Ryan Williams.

The 6-foot, 165-pounder announced that he has re-committed to Alabama after backing off his pledge to the Crimson Tide on Jan. 10.

Auburn, Texas, Texas A&M and LSU all pushed hard for the elite wideout, but following an official visit on Jan. 20, the home-state school once again won out for one of the best prospects in the nation.

New head coach Kalen DeBoer and the new-look Crimson Tide didn’t waver amidst the mass exodus in T-Town. Williams decommitted, but never ruled the in-state school out of the equation. Now, he’s back in the mix, headlining an elite 2024 recruiting class.

“He knows what it takes, and he’s going to continue the culture and the Alabama standard,” Williams said of DeBoer earlier this month. “It’s not going to drop off one bit, and he just wanted me to understand that I could have a big role in that. I have open eyes and I want to hear them out. It’s just about building a relationship as fast as possible because I have a relationships with other coaches around t he country, so if that’s somewhere I’m considering, I need to have that. I love Alabama, I was committed there for a year for a reason.”

Keeping Williams in the fold is a major victory for DeBoer

After a major roster exodus following Nick Saban’s retirement — which included Five-Star Plus+ quarterback signee Julian Sayin — getting Williams back in Alabama’s class is a major victory for DeBoer.

Once Williams reclassified in December, all eyes turned to the Crimson Tide and arch rival Auburn. The Tigers had been pursuing Williams for nearly a year and had gotten him on campus numerous times. According to On3’s Chad Simmons, Williams was 50/50 between the two programs before Saban’s retirement.

But DeBoer and his staff worked quickly to make Williams one of their top priorities once they hit campus. He took an official visit to Texas A&M earlier this month and then returned to Tuscaloosa. The new coaching staff made a strong first impression.

He then reportedly canceled his official visit to Texas scheduled for this weekend and later announced he was re-joining the Crimson Tide’s class.

Williams is the No. 5 overall prospect and No. 3 receiver in the 2024 cycle, according to the On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies. He’s also the No. 2 player in Alabama.