Ryan Williams One of 80 Players on Maxwell Award Preseason Watch List

The crown jewel of Kalen DeBoer's first freshman class at Alabama, Williams was a First Team All-SEC selection and Freshman All-American at 17 years old. He's one of the biggest names in all of college football, sharing the cover of the newly released EA Sports College Football 26 with Ohio State's Jeremiah Smith.

He is also one of the most important players for the Crimson Tide this season, with a new quarterback set to start entering DeBoer's second year. The Maxwell is awarded to the best college football player in the country; Boise State's Ashton Jeanty won it last season, and Alabama has had five previous winners, most recently quarterback Bryce Young in 2021.

Williams also earned Freshman All-SEC honors for his performance in 2024. The dynamic, speedy sophomore wideout was the hero of Alabama's home win over Georgia last September thanks to his game-winning touchdown catch.

Ty Simpson, the man who was Jalen Milroe's backup for multiple seasons, appears in line to take the reins behind center when the regular season begins next month. The Crimson Tide's wide receiver room is loaded, but Williams is one of the centerpieces, and expectations for the Mobile native remain as sky-high as they were when he recommitted to Alabama after DeBoer was hired.