Analyst has high praise for Alabama WR Ryan Williams

College football analyst Joel Klatt is extremely high on Alabama wideout Ryan Williams heading into the 2025 season.

If there's a wideout in the country who could compete with Ohio State's Jeremiah Smith — who Klatt recently ranked as the top overall player in college football, regardless of position — it would seem as if the young Alabama wideout would be the guy.

Klatt recently revealed his top 10 players in college football heading into 2025. Despite the fact that he's going into just his sophomore season and he's not even yet 19 years old, Williams made the list at No. 5.

Only Smith, Ohio State safety Caleb Downs, Clemson quarterback Cade Klubnik and Texas quarterback Arch Manning were ranked higher by Klatt on his show.

“I mean, dude is incredible,” Klatt said of Williams (h/t On3).

The numbers for Williams were outstanding as a freshman. He caught 48 catches for 856 yards and eight touchdowns. He's a deep-play threat thanks to his speed and ability to take the top off a defense, but Klatt raved about Williams' overall abilities as a wideout.

“He’s dynamic. He’s fast. His body control is outstanding,” Klatt explained. “The way that he can, as a young player, understand his position on the field and also where he’s at in relation to the defender? His body control, yes, but it’s more his spatial awareness. How many times were you able to see Ryan Willams understand his spatial awareness when the ball was still in the air and he was slowing himself down or turning himself in a fashion where he could either absorb the hit or he was putting himself in a better position to make a move after the catch? He’s sure-handed. He’s electric.”

Williams was an All-SEC player in 2024, and keep in mind, he was only 17 years old. That's part of the charm with him. He's so young, but already so good.

He averaged 18 yards per catch, so the Alabama youngster is a natural highlight reel. If it wasn't for the season that Smith had at Ohio State as a freshman (76 catches for 1,315 yards and 15 touchdowns), Williams would probably be a much bigger star nationally than he already is.

"He would have been one of the best true freshmen that I’ve ever seen if not for another player," Klatt said, referencing Williams and the comparison to Smith.

Williams just got outshone by a player who could ultimately end up in the GOAT conversation, and there's no shame in that. 

Alabama has another superstar receiver down in Tuscaloosa.