The Alabama Crimson Tide clearly has a budding superstar in Ryan “Hollywood” Williams, the 17-year-old freshman who is taking college football by storm this season.
It’s easy to forget now that he is already scoring touchdowns for the Tide — four scores in just three games to be exact — Williams actually had one of the most turbulent recruiting processes the state has seen in a long time.
Long before signing on the dotted line with Alabama, the Saraland High School (Mobile) star’s name was starting to be recognized across the state as one of the best players in high school football. By the end of his state championship sophomore campaign, he was named the youngest ‘Mr. Football’ recipient in state history, which earned him some national notoriety.
Williams committed to Alabama early during his sophomore season, but that didn’t stop Auburn from putting on a full court press trying flip him. By the end of his junior season, after Williams became the first-ever back-to-back Mr. Football, Auburn was making their charge.
RELATED: Alabama WR commit Ryan Williams secures back-to-back Mr. Football titles
But it was the heroics of Jalen Milroe and Isaiah Bond in the 2023 Iron Bowl that might have saved the day, Williams recently revealed on his podcast with freshman teammate Jaylen Mbakwe:
Ryan Williams on how 4th & 31 stopped him from FLIPPING to Auburn during his Iron Bowl visit 😱😱😱
pic.twitter.com/Jj0LtFCJf1— Touchdown Alabama (@TDAlabamaMag) September 18, 2024
Williams was on an Auburn visit during the game and, of course, was recognized by Tiger fans who told him he had to flip at the 50-yard line if Auburn were to win the game. Believing there was no chance, Williams agreed.
“4th and 31! When I say I was shaking in my boots…I was like man c’mon,” Williams recalled. “I was entertaining it saying ‘I’m gonna rush the field,’ I didn’t want to do it. Next thing you knew, he threw it and BOOM!”
Williams decommitted from the Tide after Nick Saban announced his retirement, at which point Auburn looked like the prime contender. But Kalen DeBoer was able to bring him back into the class, Williams would skip his senior year of high school and enroll early, and as they say, the rest is history.
Michael Brauner is a Senior Sports Analyst and Contributing Writer for Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @MBraunerWNSP and hear him every weekday morning from 6 to 9 a.m. on “The Opening Kickoff” on WNSP-FM 105.5, available free online.
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