Head Coach’s Take on Alabama 5-star WR signee Ryan Williams
On Sunday, one of the most anticipated recruits in the history of Alabama football officially arrived on campus.
With Ryan Williams‘ arrival official, BamaOnLine released our interview with his father, Ryan Williams Sr. Williams Sr. spoke in-depth about his son’s decision to choose the Tide, thoughts on JaMarcus Shephard and Kalen DeBoer, expectations, and more. You can read the full interview – HERE.
*** Summer enrollees graduate HS/arrive in Tuscaloosa
BOL also had an opportunity recently to catch up with Williams’ head coach at Saraland High School, Jeff Kelly. Kelly coached him all three years that he played at the varsity level, and said the following when asked to reflect on Williams’ journey.
“I really got to know Ryan back when he was in middle school. He was one of the guys as a sixth- and seventh-grader who always had a smile on his face,” Kelly told BOL. “He was always out there running around and enjoying the game of football. As he got older and got into high school as a ninth-grader, he was still the same kid who loved to play, ready to practice, and had a smile on his face.
“He got his feet wet playing as a freshman,” Kelly continued. “One of the few guys who came into our program and played as a ninth-grader. He held his own. His tenth grade year is when he burst onto the scene. Had a tremendous year, he won a state championship, won Mr. Football, and Gatorade Football Player of the Year, both as a 10th- and 11th-grader.
“He’s definitely going to be in that conversation of some of the great players that have come through our state, and he’s very deserving of being in that conversation. But the other part of it is just being a great teammate, a great competitor, always there, and just a dependable guy who was a great leader as well.”
Walking into the Saraland High School football facility, you’ll see Williams’ two Gatorade Player of the Year Award banners hanging near the weight room. His former teammates talk highly about him until this day, and his impact on the Saraland community and beyond is immeasurable.
Kelly shared his thoughts on the legacy that Williams (No. 3 WR in the 2024 class) left on their program.
“People that know him just know him as Ryan,” Kelly said. “He is a consistent guy. He is about winning, his teammates, and loves celebrating their successes as well. He’s got a ton of individual accomplishments, but he really did not care where the credit went. He just loves his teammates and he loves winning, and I think that’s the legacy that he left as folks that knew him think about his time here and all that he did. He’ll probably tell you that that’s how he wants it.”
Ryan Williams’ final season stats slightly declined, but his impact was felt
During his three years at Saraland, Ryan Williams caught 187 passes for 3,254 yards, an average of 17.4 yards per reception and 47 receiving touchdowns. He rushed for 1,078 yards on 94 attempts (11.5 yards per carry) and 24 touchdowns as well. Williams also excelled in special teams as he averaged 37.1 yards per kickoff return and 18.4 yards per punt return.
Kelly broke down both the tangibles and intangibles that make Williams a “one of one ” type of player.
“He’s got a great family that loves him and supports him, and is always there for him every step of the way,” Kelly said. “He’s really, really an intense competitor. He loves to compete, he loves to be challenged, and he loves to win. He does that at a high level, and is also a tremendous teammate who treats others with class.
“I think his ability to get his hands on the ball and make a play [separates him],” Kelly continued. “You saw a lot of situations throughout his career where he took a short pass and made a big play. He’s got that home run ability. Whether it’s a deep ball or a short ball, he gets it in the end zone. His ability to finish has separated him so far.”
Kelly also praised Williams for his work in the classroom. He applauded Williams and his family for how they handled the reclassification process. Williams got ahead with his academics and was able to reclassify, but held off on the announcement until after Saraland’s season so as not to be a distraction for his team.
Williams’ junior season — or shall we say, his senior year — saw a slight decline in stats, but what he meant for his team could not be measured by receptions or yards gained.
“If that was the only season he ever played, people still would regard it as one of the greatest years ever,” Kelly said. “He won Mr. Football his junior year. Won the Gatorade award again. His stats were excellent, but people don’t realize all the different things that defenses tried to do week in and week out to take him out of the game.
Five-Star Plus+ WR and Alabama signee Ryan Williams (Mickey Welsh / USA TODAY Sports)
“They would put two or three guys in bracket coverage and, a lot of times, made it a point to take him out of the game,” Kelly continued. “That affects numbers but, also, there are very few people in the game of football who can affect the game without touching the ball. Whether Ryan was catching it for a touchdown or he wasn’t, he was affecting the game by drawing all the attention in the coverage to allow some of those other guys to step up and make a play.
“That was a big reason why we were able to make it successful,” Kelly added. “Defenses made it easy for other guys to have success because they were so busy trying to worry about what Ryan was going to do. Some other guys benefited from favorable matchups, and that’s a tremendous credit to anybody who can affect the game without touching the ball.”
This offseason, Williams has been working out with Saraland’s strength coach to get ready for his freshman season of college, which he will play as a 17-year-old. His father said that Williams is up to around 175 or 180 pounds heading into the summer before his freshman year.
Kelly believes that Williams’ work ethic and who he’s proven to be at Saraland will only lead to success for him with the Tide.
“You know, I don’t really place any of those kinds of expectations on him,” Kelly said. “I know he’s going to be in a situation where he’ll have a ton to learn. He’ll have a new environment. I think he has the ability to come in there, hold his own, and do some great things. He’s going to get the opportunity to get in there and show what he can do, and show that he can produce probably early on. I expect him to go in there, work hard, and continue to be the same guy he’s always been.
“That recipe, along with his ability, really gives him a great chance to be successful early.”
Want to talk with the BOL staff and also thousands of other Alabama fans about Ryan Williams and all the latest recruiting intel? CLICK HERE to join daily conversations about the Crimson Tide and much more on the BOL RoundTable.
The post Head Coach’s Take on Alabama 5-star WR signee Ryan Williams appeared first on On3.
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