Alabama wide receiver Ryan Williams entered the 2025 season as a breakout candidate. Instead, he hit a wall — 689 yards, four touchdowns, and a Crimson Tide offense that never quite clicked. But according to head coach Kalen DeBoer, the version of Williams gearing up for 2026 might look nothing like the one who struggled through last fall.
Speaking to reporters Tuesday in Mobile, DeBoer did not dwell on the numbers. He pointed to something else entirely: Williams is on track to graduate in December, two and a half years after enrolling. For a program that has watched stars jump to the transfer portal at the first sign of turbulence, that kind of academic commitment carries weight.
“That’s crazy to think that he’s already year three. Time’s flown by,” DeBoer said, via AL.com. “I guess the first thing I want to say is how proud I am of what he is, also off the field, not just on the field, and that’s what everyone sees, but here’s a guy that’s going to have his degree by the end of December, and that’s two and a half years, he’s full-fledged into school work, spring, fall, and even right now in the summer, but from a leadership standpoint, he’s out front center with the team, he’s a voice, he’s one that guys count on, he’s a great teammate.”
That answer reveals something about how DeBoer evaluates his roster amid roster churn. In the era of one-and-done transfers, players who stick around and earn degrees have become rarer — and more valuable to a head coach trying to build continuity.
Williams also went through a visible body transformation this offseason, something DeBoer acknowledged without offering specifics. The receiver has added size and appeared more explosive during spring ball, according to team insiders. Whether that translates into more production in 2026 will depend on Alabama’s quarterback situation and offensive identity, both of which remain unresolved heading into summer workouts.
DeBoer on Williams’ loyalty in a shifting college football landscape
DeBoer also praised Williams for resisting the pull of the transfer portal, an issue that has reshaped Alabama’s roster since Nick Saban’s retirement.
“And then just with the portal, and him sticking around, he made that commitment when he came, and he’s a guy that just stands by his word, and I know that there’s a lot of opportunities that probably have come across his plate in one way or another, and I just appreciate who he is as a person, and what he wants to do here at Alabama, and so I’m looking forward to him building on what he’s done already in the spring and the summer leading into a great fall,” DeBoer said.
The Crimson Tide open the 2026 campaign against a non-conference opponent still to be announced, but the spotlight will be on whether Williams can reclaim the promise he showed as a freshman. For now, DeBoer is betting on the person, not just the stat line.
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