Alabama fans do not want to put too much pressure, especially Julio Jones-like pressure, on five-star Ryan Williams.
The talented wide receiver from Saraland (Ala.) High School reclassified to come in the 2024 recruiting cycle.
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Williams, a two-time “Mr. Football” honoree in the state of Alabama, nearly led Saraland to a Class 6A State Championship in 2023. He is arguably the top player in the state and one of the top athletes in the nation. Kalen DeBoer, Alabama’s head football coach, got Williams to recommit and sign to the Crimson Tide, but JaMarcus Shephard is the coach that won his heart in recruiting. Shephard, an assistant head coach, co-offensive coordinator, and receivers coach for the Tide, paid Williams the ultimate compliment during an interview with Ryan Fowler of The Game via Tide 100.9 FM.
He called Williams an ‘elite human being‘ as a 17-year-old coming to Alabama to compete. Shephard sees marquee greatness in a potential superstar talent.
“One of the best compliments I can give to him is I know he’s been highly recruited, but a lot of people see all the skill sets, football skill sets he brings to the table, but he’s as elite as a human being to this point as he is as a football player,” Shephard said about Williams at the 8:09 mark in his interview with Fowler. “That is the best compliment I can say to this young man. He is somebody that we immediately gravitated toward each other. We felt each other’s energy, knew that we could work well together, he’s a sponge. He is dialed in, he is focused, he wants to be coached at a high level.”
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Shephard would then say something about Williams that made Alabama fans very happy.
“He’s [Ryan Williams] not a prima donna that’s going to be frustrated because I am having tough coaching,” Shephard said.
“He can take tough coaching, and that is super rare for a guy who just turned 17 years old. He is super young and most people don’t understand how young he is. I think because of the skill set he has, he will have success early on. It is his ability to be a sponge and be excited about playing the game that’s going to allow him to be successful right away.”
Williams dominated the high school level, but Tide nation is pumped up to see him run wild in the Southeastern Conference.
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Stephen M. Smith is the managing editor and senior writer for Touchdown Alabama Magazine. You can “like” him on Facebook or “follow” him on Twitter, via @CoachingMSmith.
