Alabama wide receiver Ryan Williams had an inconsistent sophomore season in Tuscaloosa after a breathtaking breakout year as a freshman. After earning All-SEC First Team honors as a freshman, Williams was No. 2 in the country in percentage of drops (14.3) with 10 for the season.
Next season, Williams will face competition from one of the most talented wide receivers in the class of 2026, Cederian Morgan, who trained with the Crimson Tide before their Rose Bowl humiliation to the Indiana Hoosiers.
Kalen DeBoer Praises Ryan Williams’ Competitor
While speaking to reporters at the Alabama Football Coaches Association convention on Tuesday, Alabama coach Kalen DeBoer praised Morgan’s talent while breaking down the intangibles that made him a special talent.
“I did get a chance to see him a little bit more, just because he was practicing with us before we went on our bowl games and our playoff games,” DeBoer said.
“Really impressed with him, moves extremely well, very fluid, big hands, catches the ball, very strong at the point of attack with the ball. I know a lot of guys, players included, were impressed with what they saw just in a couple of practices that he was with us.”
Morgan was a multi-sport athlete, starring in basketball, football, and track and field at Benjamin Russell High School before committing to the Crimson Tide last year. The five-star prospect, who was an early enrollee at Alabama, was the No. 5 wide receiver talent in the country in the class of 2026.
Cederian Morgan Headlines Talented Bama Freshman Class
Morgan headlines the No. 2 recruiting class in the country by DeBoer, alongside the No. 2 running back in the class of 2026, Ezavier Crowell. While speaking to reporters on Monday, Alabama offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb revealed that, despite being freshmen, Crowell and Morgan would see game time for the Crimson Tide this season.
“I’m excited to see what they can do this year,” Grubb said. “They’re not gonna have to wait long to get on the field. That’s the lifeblood of the program. It starts here. It starts in Alabama. You look at a couple of the guys we brought in this year, with EJ and Cederian, that’s what Alabama’s been built on for a long, long time.”
Williams will duke it out with Morgan for a chance to star in Grubb’s revamped offense next season, with a new quarterback between Austin Mack and Keelon Russell throwing after Ty Simpson departed for the NFL via the draft.
