5-Star WR Ryan Williams Ditches Texas Longhorns to Commit for Kalen DeBoer’s Alabama

As the echoes of Nick Saban’s retirement reverberated, one five-star prospect, Ryan Williams, stood at the crossroads. The star receiver from Saraland initially pledged his allegiance to Alabama but hit the brakes after the coach’s announcement to depart.

But in a twist of fate orchestrated by Kalen DeBoer, the new maestro, Williams recommitted himself to Alabama. However, meanwhile, he almost ended up in the Texas Longhorns squad but ultimately ditched the decision and confirmed his commitment to the Crimson Tide.

DeBoer’s entry propels Williams to consider

Ranked as the No.9 overall prospect and the No.3 receiver in the ESPN 300 rankings, Williams found himself triggered by the sudden void in the Crimson Tide coaching staff. As revealed by Williams, the departure of Coach Holmon Wiggins, the position coach, had already posed a challenge. However, it was Saban’s retirement that became the decisive factor in his commitment to Alabama. 

Since he did not sign a national letter of intent during the early signing period, he was free to explore other options and refrained from Alabama. However, Kalen DeBoer, the new head coach at Alabama, succeeded in reigniting Williams’ flame of commitment.

With this in mind, the official visit last weekend served as a pivotal moment that showcased a renewed vision of the program under DeBoer. Ryan Williams is set to officially sign with Alabama on his birthday, which is on February 9. Meanwhile, he considered joining the Texas Longhorns under the leadership of Coach Steve Sarkisian whom he had to let go of with DeBoer’s entry into Alabama.     

Williams’ top contenders

Despite the dead period in NCAA recruiting, Williams had already built relationships with coaches from various schools. Due to their offensive style and recent takedown against Alabama, Texas had emerged as one of his top choices. Besides this, Texas A&M and Auburn were also among the schools at the forefront of Williams’ considerations. 

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Even though there has been much speculation that he might join the Longhorns, Williams canceled his scheduled official visit to the Forty Acres last weekend. Hence, he confirmed his recommitment to Alabama within two weeks of his previous decision not to join the team with DeBoer’s entry. With a trip to Auburn still on the horizon for February 3, the wide receiver has made his way back to joining the Alabama squad. Ranked as the No.9 overall player nationally, Williams is poised to become the second-highest-ranked wide receiver in the team’s history.

Williams will be following the footsteps of legendary Julio Jones, who held the No.3 spot nationally in 2008. Hence, the decision to reevaluate their commitments and forego other visits sets the stage for a promising era in Alabama football. As Alabama’s fans anticipate William’s entry this summer, adds an exciting layer to the unfolding narrative of the Crimson Tide.  

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