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Alabama WR Ryan Williams among 10 early Heisman Trophy contenders

1918632_10206777287683070_1367905321192383146_nby: Charlie Potter05/16/25Charlie_Potter
Alabama WR Ryan Williams
Alabama WR Ryan Williams (Steve Roberts / Imagn Images)

Expectations are sky-high for Ryan Williams’ second season at Alabama. The sophomore wide receiver was among ESPN’s 10 early Heisman Trophy contenders for the 2025 season.

Williams checked in at No. 10 on the mid-May list and was the third non-quarterback included.

“As a 17-year-old true freshman, Williams was one of the most electric playmakers in the country the first part of last season,” wrote ESPN senior writer Chris Low. “He had five touchdown catches in his first four games, including the game winner against Georgia, and finished the season with 10 touchdowns (eight receiving, two rushing). Williams has tremendous big-play ability. He averaged 18 yards per catch and is as dangerous catching the deep ball as he is at making things happen after the catch.”

As a true freshman in 2024, Williams caught 48 passes for 865 yards and eight touchdowns in 13 games. He led the Alabama offense in receiving yards and touchdowns and finished tied for the fourth-most receiving scores in the SEC – he also scored twice on the ground.

Williams was eighth in the conference in yards per reception (18.02) and 10th in receiving yards per game (66.5). He also made plenty of explosive plays as a rookie for the Crimson Tide, tying for the SEC lead in receiving plays of 40 or more yards (7) and tying for the third-most receiving plays of 20-plus (18), 30-plus (9) and 50-plus yards (5) over the 2024 season.

When he should have been a senior in high school, Williams earned recognition as a Freshman All-American by the FWAA and received a second-team All-American nod by the AFCA.

Williams is back for Year 2 at Alabama and, alongside Germie Bernard, will look to lead the Tide receiving corps, which welcomed back key pieces and added an instant impact transfer.

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