The Alabama Crimson Tide qualified for the College Football Playoff this year and, by most measures, had a solid season.
One of the most baffling storylines for Alabama for much of the season, however, has been star receiver Ryan Williams. Although Williams had a phenomenal true freshman season in 2024, he has significantly regressed in 2025.
Williams, a sophomore from Mobile, Ala., is a former five-star recruiting prospect from the class of 2024. Although he was expected to be a major part of the Tide’s offense in 2025, Williams has virtually disappeared from Alabama’s attack.
Let’s take a look at what happened to Williams and what his future with the Tide might hold.
MORE COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYOFF NEWS:
- SN's expert predictions for every CFP game
- Updated College Football Playoff bracket
- 10 best NFL Draft prospects in 2025 CFP field
- Meet the broadcast teams for 2025 CFP games
What happened to Ryan Williams?
Williams was a highly touted recruit in 2024. Per 247Sports, Williams was the No. 3 receiver in his class and the No. 4 overall player nationally. A five-star prospect out of Alabama, he lived up to the hype as early as last season.
He finished the 2024 season as the Tide’s leading receiver, recording 48 catches for 865 yards and eight touchdowns. He averaged 18 yards per catch and had 10 games averaging 10 or more yards per reception.
But his 2025 season has been nothing like his true freshman campaign. Heading into the Oklahoma game, he had just 42 catches for 631 yards. While that does not appear to be a massive regression on the surface, Williams’ biggest issue has been drops.
On the season, he has just two games with more than five receptions, and he leads the nation in dropped passes.
MORE: Has Alabama QB Ty Simpson been playing hurt?
What happened to Ryan Williams?
Williams was a highly-touted recruit in 2024. Per 247Sports, Williams was the No. 3 overall receiver in his class, and the No. 4 overall player nationally. A five-star out of Alabama, he lived up to the hype as a recruit as early as last season.
He finished his 2024 season as the Tide's leading receiver, getting 48 catches for 865 yards with eight touchdowns. He averaged 18 yards per catch, and had 10 games averaging 10 or more yards per reception.
But his 2025 season has been anything like his true freshman one. Heading into the Oklahoma game, he had just 42 catches for 631 yards. Although that doesn't sound like a huge regression, Williams' problem has been dropping the ball.
On the season, he has just two games with over five receptions, and he leads the nation in dropped passes.
MORE: Could Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer leave the Tide for Michigan?
NCAA leaders in dropped passes
During Friday night's game, Williams had yet another drop in the first half.
That puts him with the second-most dropped passes among college football receivers, dating back to the 2024 season. Thirteen of his 17 drops have come during the 2025 season alone. With 17 total drops in two season, he trails only Arkansas receiver Corey Rucker, and Hawaii’s Poefele Ashlock, both of whom have 18.
MORE: A deep dive into Kalen DeBoer's contract with Alabama
Ryan Williams freshman-sophomore stat comparison
| Year | Rec | Yards | YPC | TDs | Drops |
| 2024 | 48 | 865 | 18 | 8 | 4 |
| 2025 | 42 | 631 | 15 | 4 | 13 |
Will Ryan Williams transfer?
At this point, Williams has not made his plans public for 2026 and beyond. With quarterback Ty Simpson’s status for next season up in the air, there is some uncertainty surrounding Alabama’s offense.
For a former five-star prospect playing college football in his home state, it would be surprising to see him go elsewhere. That said, Williams might be tempted to explore his options given his struggles this season.