Rising Alabama Star Ryan Williams Names Heisman Winner DeVonta Smith as His All-Time Favorite Crimson Tide Wide Receiver.
Ryan Williams, the electrifying young wide receiver for the Alabama Crimson Tide, is already being heralded as one of the brightest future stars in college football. As a rising sophomore, his name has become synonymous with explosive playmaking ability, elite route running, and maturity well beyond his years. But for all the hype surrounding his own game, Williams recently reminded the world that even the next generation of legends draws inspiration from the greats who came before them. When asked about his favorite Alabama wide receiver of all time, Williams didn’t hesitate—he pointed to 2020 Heisman Trophy winner and national champion DeVonta Smith.
For fans of the Crimson Tide, the comparison is as flattering as it is familiar. DeVonta Smith—also known affectionately by Alabama fans as “Smitty”—is one of the most revered athletes in the school’s storied history. In 2020, he put together one of the most dominant seasons ever seen by a college wide receiver, finishing with 117 receptions, 1,856 yards, and 23 touchdowns in just 13 games. His performance not only helped Alabama secure another national title, but also earned him the Heisman Trophy, making him the first wide receiver to win the award since Desmond Howard in 1991.
For Ryan Williams, the admiration goes deeper than just stats or accolades. He grew up watching Smith’s highlights, studying his every move, and imagining himself one day suiting up in crimson and white with a similar level of excellence. “I just loved how smooth he was,” Williams has said. “He wasn’t the biggest guy, but he was the smartest. He played the game with a quiet confidence and just destroyed defenses with his routes and hands. That’s the kind of receiver I want to be.”
It’s hard to blame Williams for seeing a bit of himself in DeVonta Smith. Like Smith, Williams is not the tallest or bulkiest receiver on the field, but what he lacks in size he more than makes up for in football IQ, balance, burst, and body control. His high school film was a viral sensation long before he ever stepped onto the field at Bryant-Denny Stadium. As a five-star recruit, Williams reclassified to join the Crimson Tide a year early, and his arrival in Tuscaloosa has already drawn comparisons to Smith’s freshman debut—quiet at first, but promising, with flashes of brilliance that hint at something truly special to come.
Williams also carries the same humble demeanor that endeared Smith to fans, coaches, and teammates alike. He’s not the type to seek the spotlight or make bold proclamations about his goals. Instead, he lets his work ethic and performance do the talking. Behind the scenes, his commitment to the craft is relentless. Alabama insiders have reported that Williams spends countless extra hours in the film room, often studying Smith’s tape to fine-tune the subtle aspects of his game—footwork, leverage, timing, and spacing.
The connection between Smith and Williams also speaks to a broader tradition at Alabama. Under Nick Saban, the program has become a wide receiver factory, producing elite talent year after year. From Julio Jones to Amari Cooper, Calvin Ridley, Jerry Jeudy, Henry Ruggs III, Jaylen Waddle, Jameson Williams, and now Jermaine Burton and Isaiah Bond, the lineage is stacked with stars. But among all those names, Smith remains the gold standard—particularly for players like Williams who prize precision and polish above flash.
Smith’s most iconic moment in an Alabama jersey came as a freshman during the 2018 College Football Playoff National Championship. With the game on the line in overtime against Georgia, it was Smith who hauled in the 41-yard game-winning touchdown from Tua Tagovailoa—a play forever etched in Crimson Tide history. That moment alone could have made him a legend, but what he did in 2020 elevated him to an even higher pedestal.
In many ways, Williams is chasing that same kind of legacy. And with the 2025 season approaching, he’s in a prime position to carve out his own chapter in Alabama’s storied book of greatness. After a rocky 2024 season that saw the Crimson Tide lose three games and fall short in their bowl appearance, the team is hungrier than ever for redemption. Williams, who showed flashes of brilliance as a freshman, is expected to be a centerpiece in Alabama’s revamped offense.
With new leadership in place following Nick Saban’s brief retirement and return, Alabama’s locker room has a renewed sense of urgency and purpose. Coaches have been particularly vocal about Williams’ potential to explode onto the national stage. His footwork is already among the best on the team. His separation at the top of routes is elite. And despite his youth, he’s become a trusted target for Alabama’s new starting quarterback—whoever wins the job from the current QB battle.
It’s clear that Williams isn’t merely trying to emulate DeVonta Smith for nostalgia’s sake—he’s studying a blueprint that actually works. Smith’s game was never built on overwhelming defenders with brute strength; it was built on intelligence, discipline, and execution. Every step was intentional, every route a chess move. For a player like Williams, who understands that football is just as much mental as it is physical, Smith offers the perfect prototype.
Outside of Alabama, Smith has continued to thrive with the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFL, and his professional career only adds to the admiration younger players like Williams have for him. Smith’s transition to the next level has been seamless. He’s already recorded multiple 1,000-yard seasons, and his partnership with fellow Alabama alum Jalen Hurts has given Crimson Tide fans even more reason to follow his journey.
Williams has said on more than one occasion that he hopes to follow that same path—not just making it to the NFL, but excelling once he gets there. But for now, his focus is squarely on helping Alabama get back to where it belongs: atop the college football world. With new talent emerging across the SEC, including rising contenders like Georgia, LSU, and Texas, the road won’t be easy. But if Alabama is going to make a serious run, Ryan Williams will undoubtedly play a leading role.
Already, his influence is being felt among his teammates. Veteran receivers have taken notice of the younger player’s poise, and coaches are trusting him with more responsibility. He’s also become a quiet leader in practice, setting the tone with his energy and discipline. When others slack off, Williams turns it up a notch. When adversity strikes, he stays calm—just like his idol did when he was in Tuscaloosa.
Ultimately, Williams’ choice to name DeVonta Smith as his favorite Alabama wide receiver says a lot more than just who he admired growing up. It signals a mindset—a desire to follow in the footsteps of greatness while crafting his own legacy in the process. It speaks to humility, respect for the game, and a commitment to excellence. And if his early trajectory is any indication, he might one day find himself mentioned in the same breath as Smith, not as a fan, but as a peer.
The Crimson Tide faithful certainly hope so. After a turbulent year in 2024, Alabama fans are hungry for a return to dominance, and Ryan Williams has emerged as a beacon of hope. The comparisons to DeVonta Smith may be lofty, but they’re not far-fetched. Williams is already showing signs of being that kind of special. If he continues to put in the work, stay healthy, and elevate his game, he just might become the next Alabama legend—a future Heisman contender, NFL star, and role model for the next generation of young receivers dreaming of wearing crimson and white.
And when that day comes, some young wideout might look up and say, “Ryan Williams—that’s my favorite Alabama receiver of all time.”
