"Somebody texted me and said, 'I bet you're glad Ryan Williams reclassified,'" said Ham Barnett, head coach at St. Paul's Episcopal School in Mobile. "I told him my defensive backs were happy for sure."
In three seasons at Saraland High School, just 10 miles north of Mobile, Williams had more than 4,400 yards of total offense and scored 76 touchdowns in 39 games -- 47 receiving, 24 rushing, 1 passing and 4 on punt and kick returns.
Williams' meteoric rise as a Crimson Tide freshman has been one of the top stories in the first half of the 2024 season.
Going into Saturday's contest at No. 11 Tennessee (3:30 p.m. ET/ABC, ESPN+), Williams leads No. 7 Alabama with 23 catches for 576 yards with six touchdowns. His 25-yard average on receptions leads the FBS.
