Five-Star Plus+ Alabama commit puts on recruiting hat during Champions Cook-Out

The Alabama Crimson Tide boast the No. 1 class in the 2025 recruiting cycle.

A big reason why is Ryan “Hollywood” Williams. Williams jump started their 2025 class by becoming its first commitment on Oct. 8, 2022. He’s also the highest-rated prospect in the five-recruit class to this point. The Five-Star Plus+ prospect is the No. 3 overall rising junior in the nation, as well as the top-ranked receiver.

On Saturday, Williams returned to Tuscaloosa yet again for the program’s Champions Cook-Out.

“It was really great. I had a lot of fun. My family and I had a lot of fun,” Williams told BamaOnLine. “It was more about being a big recruiter and helping the 2025 class be the No. 1 class. I’m trying to maintain No. 1.”

It was a laid-back trip for Williams, who stayed the night in Tuscaloosa. One of the memorable experiences was going on a scavenger hunt with Amari Jefferson, new commit Jaime Ffrench, and position coach Holmon Wiggins. Surprisingly, this group finished last in the scavenger hunt. Williams joked around that a stop at Starbucks to get water for Wiggins is what set them back.

Williams relished the opportunity to get even more time around Wiggins, Nick Saban, and the rest of the staff.

“It’s been continuously building a relationship. Your relationship could never be too good,” Williams said. “I see the same things, but I’m learning more from the people and the players. I’m ready to be a part of the Crimson Tide.”

After 14 or 15 total visits to Alabama as a recruit, Williams is itching to officially make Tuscaloosa his new home.

“I’m definitely locked in. I’ve been saying this, and I’ll continue to say it,” Williams said. “It’s going to keep being the same thing. The family feeling… I literally feel at home, especially since I’ve visited so many times. There is no second thought. It’s like I’m going to my second house.”

Williams is trying to land “the best class ever” for Alabama

In an interview with On3 last month, Williams stated that he is “the enforcer” in the 2025 class for Alabama. He feels a responsibility to help put together a legendary group for the Crimson Tide. And this past weekend, Williams put those words into action.

The Saraland (Ala.) High School standout spent quality time with five-star offensive lineman David Sanders, No. 2 quarterback George MacIntyre, and others this past weekend.

“I think we had a pretty good understanding with all the guys that came through. I think we have a good chance of getting some of those guys,” Williams said. “We already have a solid class, so we’re just trying to have the best class ever. If we’re all on the same team, we have no choice but to win. That was really the message.”

MacIntyre would be a massive addition for Alabama, especially a cycle after landing the nation’s top-ranked 2024 quarterback: Julian Sayin. Williams wouldn’t mind teaming up with the 6-foot-5, 185-pound signal caller.

“I’ve watched his film a couple of times. I’ve been on a couple of visits with him,” Williams said of MacIntyre. “I think really highly of him. I definitely wouldn’t mind catching passes from George. That’s my guy.”

Williams also put on his recruiting hat around USC commitment and surprise visitor Anquon Fegans.

“Chopped it up with him a little bit. We’re always trying to get people to flip,” Williams said. “We’re going to continue to recruit him. I mean, we should get him. We’re going to try.”

Alabama’s future wide receivers bond in Tuscaloosa

This past weekend was a gold mine for Williams as it pertains to recruiting top 2025 targets. It also provided him an opportunity to bond with his future teammates, namely Jaime Ffrench.

Ffrench, who committed to Alabama less than a week after returning to Tuscaloosa, instantly connected with Williams.

“It feels like we were already on the same team. It was an automatic click. We were on the same wave,” Williams said of Ffrench. “I definitely think we’ll be like Smitty and Jeudy. We say we’re going to be better than them, which is hard to do.”

The dynamic duo of Jaime Ffrench and Ryan Williams on their weekend visit to Alabama.

When detailing his commitment with BamaOnLine, Ffrench expressed a desire to bring back the culture that Bama had a few years ago with DeVonta Smith, Jerry Jeudy, Tua Tagovailoa, and others.

This is an ongoing discussion that Ffrench and Williams have with each other on a regular basis.

“We talk about that all the time,” Williams said. “We’re pretty smart, so I feel like we’ll pick up the playbook fast. I think we’ll come in and start early, just like they did. They came in their freshman year balling and winning. That’s the main thing. Both of us on the field at the same time, it’s nasty. I feel like when we get there, it’s going to be a lot of winning going on.”

Although there always will be conversations about which school should lay claim to the “Wide Receiver University” moniker, Williams had no hesitation in giving that label to Alabama.

“We’re Wide Receiver U,’” Williams said. “I wouldn’t say there’s pressure, but I think that everybody that is going there already knows the expectations. We just got to do it. We know what it takes, we know what we’ve got to do, and we’re not really focusing on what the previous man did. We’re just focusing on us.”

Upcoming season expectations for Williams

Ryan Williams did mention that during the season, he’ll likely take a visit to Auburn and head out to the West Coast to see USC.

For the most part, however, Williams will be in Bryant-Denny Stadium on Saturdays this fall. He plans on being at almost every, if not all, home games, including the anticipated matchup with Texas on Sept. 9.

Williams says he and head coach Nick Saban talked this past weekend about their expectations for this upcoming season.

“We really just talked about this upcoming season for the both of us,” Williams said of his talk with Saban. “We’re both expecting a very good year. I’m expecting another state championship, and he’s expecting a couple of rings after this year. We just talked about a lot of winning. That’s what we like to do.”

Saraland High School has never gone 15-0. Williams wants to change that.

Sure, he’d love to pick up some personal accolades along the way, but Williams is focused on getting the Spartans to the top once again.

“Definitely, just molding into an all-around receiver,” Williams said. “I’m a threat down the field, but I want to block and be more aggressive on the blocks. I want to pancake dudes this year. We’re winning. I’m stressing that and helping my team in anyway I can to continue our winning legacy.

“We went 14-1 last year. I’m 24-4 in my high school career right now. I don’t want to lose another game.”

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