He has played in four games as a true freshman, but Ryan Williams is getting recognition from former Alabama players as a top 10 wide receiver in Crimson Tide history.
He has done something in each matchup to generate attention. The 17-year-old was incredible in Alabama’s showdown with Georgia last week on Saban Field at Bryant-Denny Stadium. He made the Bulldogs look helpless in the secondary, recording a career-high 177 yards receiving and a touchdown on six catches.
Williams accounted for two jaw-dropping plays in Alabama’s marquee victory — including a 75-yard catch where me made two defenders run into each other, stiff-armed one of the defenders, and accelerated downfield for a touchdown.
He put the Tide back on top with a 41-34 lead and that became the final score.
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Williams has 16 catches for 462 yards and five touchdowns. He is averaging 115.5 yards per contest and is off to a faster start in production than DeVonta Smith was through four games during his 2020 Heisman Memorial Trophy season. Smith had 38 catches for 483 yards and four touchdowns in his first four games of 2020.
Williams is pushing to everything and more than Smith did; however, a former Tide standout already feels Alabama needs to regroup its top 10 wide receivers of all time.
Marquis Maze, a two-time BCS National Champion in 2009 and 2011, said the ‘new deuce is very loose.’
Them top 5/10 Bama receivers orders need some rearranging! The new Duece is very loose!!! I warned yall before the season my boy dawg was very different
— Marquis Maze (@Mazeboy4) October 2, 2024
He thinks Williams is in that top five to top 10 list now for wide receivers.
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Stephen M. Smith is the senior writer for Touchdown Alabama Magazine. You can “like” him on Facebook or “follow” him on Twitter, via @CoachingMSmith.
