Ryan Williams injury update: Kalen DeBoer reveals diagnosis on Alabama star

An update has emerged after Alabama receiver Ryan Williams left Saturday’s contest against Florida State with injury. Williams limped off the field after taking a big hit in the fourth quarter and did not return to the game as the Crimson Tide suffered a 31-17 loss.

Much of the worry postgame was with the status of the star receiver, and coach Kalen DeBoer offered an update in his press conference. He explained that Williams suffered a concussion and will be evaluated as the week goes on.

Williams enters this season coming off of a spectacular freshman year. The receiver led Alabama with 48 catches for 865 yards and eight touchdowns in 2024 to earn SEC All-Freshman as well as Freshman All-American honors.

The Seminoles defense manage to limit him to just 30 yards on five catches prior to his injury Saturday, however. He was seen holding his wrist as he walked to the locker room after taking the shot in the fourth.

Alabama got a big day out of veteran receiver Germie Bernard, who led the Crimson Tide with eight catches for 146 yards. Ultimately, quarterback Ty Simpson looked to struggle a bit as he completed just 23-of-43 (53.5%) of his passes for 254 yards and two touchdowns.

Overall, it was a rough day for the Alabama offense, which had scored only 10 points heading into the fourth quarter. The Crimson Tide will hope that Williams can get back healthy as they look to bounce back from Saturday’s loss beginning next week against Louisiana-Monroe.

One game later is a big one as a Big Ten opponent, the Wisconsin Badgers, comes to Bryant-Denny Stadium. Not one you want to be without Ryan Williams if the injury is considered serious enough. A bye week then precedes a massive showdown against the Georgia Bulldogs in Athens.

“(It’s) not really pressure, because pressure is privilege,” Williams during Alabama’s team media day about his expectations for this upcoming season. “But, you know, it’s just a matter of understanding your freshman year. There’s a lot of kids, like … Jeremiah Smith of Ohio State went through his entire freshman year and they won a natty (national championship) as a student-athlete.

“So it’s just balancing out the student-athlete life, all the NIL, just understanding and getting a rhythm (with) it. Now that I went through an entire year, I definitely have a way better grasp of it.”