The Curious Case of Ryan Coleman-Williams

That fantastic freshman season led to immediate draft hype for Coleman-Williams as fans and analysts alike looked ahead to the 2027 class, with every early mock draft having him somewhere in the first round.

But his follow-up campaign failed to live up to those expectations, as Coleman-Williams struggled to produce anywhere near the same level last season. He caught 49 passes for just 689 yards and four touchdowns, and struggled mightily with dropped passes all year long. He still created his share of big plays on his way to averaging more than 14 yards per reception, but he left way too many layups on the turf for a potential first-round talent.

2027 NFL DRAFT RANKINGS

QB | RB | WR | TE | OT | Interior OL | Edge | Interior DL | LB | CB | S

Coming into the 2026 season, hopes were high that Coleman-Williams would be able to shake off last year’s struggles and return to the player he was as a freshman, but with the added benefit of experience and the ability to overcome adversity.

Instead, Saturday’s season opener against East Carolina was just another ride on the same roller coaster.

Coleman-Williams had a pair of inexcusable drops in the first half, including one that bounced off his hands and was intercepted in the end zone, with an offsides penalty saving him from turning a touchdown into a turnover. In the third quarter, he dropped a hand-off on a jet sweep that was recovered by the Pirates.

And yet, just like last year, Coleman-Williams was still able to swing the pendulum back the other way with some explosive plays. There was a 58-yard catch-and-run, and a tough catch between multiple defenders that saw him hold onto the ball despite a crushing hit from an ECU defender:

Coleman-Williams also made his presence felt on special teams, picking up some big yardage in the return game:

Despite the drops, Coleman-Williams finished the game with 130 yards on five receptions, averaging 26 yards per catch in basically three quarters of work, as the Tide rolled to a 48-10 home win.

This game proves that Coleman-Williams remains a confusing and frustrating evaluation in terms of his NFL potential. The highs are still extremely high, but he simply has to eliminate the head-scratching drops if he wants to remain in the first-round conversation as the season rolls on.

Here’s hoping, gloves or no gloves, Coleman-Williams is able to settle in and get his consistency on the same level as his big-play ability, and we still hear his name called in the top 32 when next April rolls around.