The 17-year-old prodigy captivating Alabama's squad and garnering commendations from LeBron James and Serena Williams
Chaos erupted amongst the spectators and his teammates. He was surrounded as he celebrated in front of his supporters. Not only was it an impressive play, but what was even more remarkable was that it was executed by a 17-year-old in just his fourth college game.
Ryan Williams' 75-yard touchdown with less than two minutes remaining was the game-winning score for Alabama No. 4's dramatic victory over Georgia No. 2 late last month and continued the youngster's impressive start to his college football career.
He ended the game with six catches for 177 yards and that touchdown. After his first five games of his debut season for the Crimson Tide, Williams had 19 catches for 544 yards and six touchdowns. He also had one rushing attempt for a touchdown.
Williams looks the part, too. He doesn't seem to be intimidated by the stage, and his "Kill Everybody" face tape reveals his lethal mentality.
Williams' performance and the ending to the game against Georgia sent social media into a frenzy, with sports legends such as LeBron James, Chris Paul, JJ Watt and Dez Bryant all expressing their amazement at his talent.
Even Serena Williams, the former tennis superstar, jokingly commented on his impressive performance at Alabama.
The increased pressure and stage at such a young age might seem overwhelming to most. But Williams, says he just enjoys being out there.
"No, there was never any pressure for me because I knew we had prepared well," he told reporters after the Georgia game when asked if he felt nervous heading into crunch time with the scores close.
"Like our whole team, we prepared very hard, very well for the entire week so I just felt confident the entire time. And they gave me the opportunity and I just made a play."
But it was his former high school coach, Jeff Kelly, who felt a special sense of pride as he watched from the seventh row of a packed-out Bryant-Denny Stadium.
"Whether Ryan ever catches a ball again for the rest of his career, he's already a part of Alabama's football tradition for that play," Kelly told CNN. "That's one of the best plays in the history of Alabama, I think.
"The physiological things that he did on that play are something I don't know anyone has ever seen."
A Star Is Born
Williams has been a standout for some time now, not just in football.
During his high school days at Saraland in Alabama, he was also a track specialist who ran a personal best of 10.49 seconds in the 100 meters and 21.28 seconds in the 200 meters.
Williams quickly rose to the top of Saraland's football team, but his journey to becoming a wide receiver wasn't straightforward.
Kelly remembers Williams as a quarterback at a younger age, describing him as a "real slender kid, always going somewhere at 90 miles an hour."
It wasn't until one afternoon when Williams and teammate Jarel Williams (now a wide receiver at West Virginia) went out to practice that this all changed.
Williams had agreed to throw passes to his teammate after practice to help him improve. It was when they switched roles, with Williams now catching passes, that Kelly realized the young athlete's potential as a receiver.
And with Saraland in need of a receiver, Kelly decided to put Williams in, a decision that ultimately paid off.
As a 14-year-old freshman, Williams played against 18-year-olds. Kelly described his debut season as "good," but it was in his second year at the position that he really showed his skill as a receiver.
His second year saw him catch 88 passes for 1,641 yards and 24 touchdowns, as well as rushing 57 times for 700 yards and 15 touchdowns. For someone who has been around football for so long, Kelly describes that season as "probably one of the most epic high school seasons in the history of Alabama football."
Williams was rewarded for his success with the top individual prize for high school football in Alabama – the Mr. Football Award. Previous winners of the award include current Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix, seven-time NFL Pro Bowl wide receiver Julio Jones, and 2007 No. 1 overall draft pick JaMarcus Russell.
Williams continued to dominate the next season, totaling 72 receptions for 1,324 yards with 19 touchdowns, as well as 261 rushing yards and seven rushing touchdowns. He again collected the Mr. Football Award for Alabama, becoming the first two-time winner.
Williams was a star. But more than that, Kelly describes him as a pleasure to coach and be around.
"I've known him for about 10 years," said Kelly, whose son and Williams were in the same grade at school. "Ryan always has a smile on his face. He loves to have a good time. He is a young man that all of his teachers and his classmates just really gravitated to.
"They loved just his personality. He was always really smiling and just happy about whatever he was going on. And never once did he seem to have what seemed like a bad day or feel whatever he was, he was just a happy, happy kid coming through."
"The Sky's the Limit"
Williams was the standout player for his Saraland team despite being one of the youngest members. After consulting with his parents and his coaches, he decided to move up to college a year ahead of schedule.
While it might seem like a daunting task for a 17-year-old to play against a different level of competition, Kelly believes it was the "right thing to do" for Williams. But even Kelly can't predict how fast Williams will adjust to life at Alabama.
"There was no doubt in my mind that Ryan would thrive and become a force to be reckoned with. But I don't think anyone could swear on a stack of bibles that they anticipated it happening so soon," expressed Kelly, who was selected by the Seattle Seahawks in 2001's draft.
"Against Georgia, he performed like an old pro, leaving his opponents looking like amateur high school players.needless to say,"
Kelly furthered, "Ryan isn't even old enough to vote, let alone buy cigarettes if he wanted. He's barely 17 and he's already making waves in college football."
Williams' college career started off with a bang; his first touchdown was an 84-yard pass against Western Kentucky, and his second was a 51-yard catch in the same game.
The game against Georgia, more notably his game-winning catch, was the moment that everyone began paying attention to this teenage phenom. He wrapped up his fourth college game with six catches for 177 yards, including that stunning touchdown.
Kelly recalls the atmosphere post that play as "chaos". However, amidst all the excitement, he took a moment to appreciate the moment.
"I simply had to take a seat. There was just this brief moment where you realize that one of your own has made it. So, I just wanted to take a moment to savour it and feel proud for little Ryan," he reminisced.
Alabama is renowned for producing top-notch NFL wide receivers in recent times: Julio Jones, Amari Cooper, Calvin Ridley, Jaylen Waddle, DeVonta Smith and Jameson Williams all donned the Crimson Tide jersey.
And Kelly believes that "the skies the limit" for Williams, particularly due to his relentless work ethic.
"I don't think there's a ceiling to his potential. He has the ability and the attitude to be one of the greatest to ever come out of the University of Alabama," he said. "And let me tell you, he's got the chance to achieve things that very few, if any, have managed in the world of football."
"I can guarantee you, he aspires to be the best to have ever played. He aspires to be the best to come out of there. And I wouldn't bet against him," he added.
For Williams, however, he's just enjoying the ride.
"It just feels like a dream, and I'm just going with it. I like the dream,” he shared.
Ryan Williams' impressive performance in college football extends beyond just his game-winning touchdown against Georgia. During his high school days, he was also a standout track athlete, setting personal best times of 10.49 seconds in the 100 meters and 21.28 seconds in the 200 meters.
With his athleticism and talent, it's no surprise that Williams is quickly becoming a star in the sport of football. Despite his young age, he is already making waves in college football and is seen as having a bright future in the sport.
