{"id":52139,"date":"2025-09-11T08:54:52","date_gmt":"2025-09-11T08:54:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/asport.com.ng\/?p=52139"},"modified":"2025-09-11T08:54:52","modified_gmt":"2025-09-11T08:54:52","slug":"alabama-wr-ryan-williams-is-set-to-make-north-of-1-8m-this-season-2nd-most-in-cfb-for-wrs-williams-told-on3-in-an-interview-that-jeremiah-smith-had-the-better-season-last-year-t","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/asport.com.ng\/?p=52139","title":{"rendered":"Alabama WR Ryan Williams is set to make north of $1.8M this season, 2nd most in CFB for WRs – Williams told On3 in an interview that Jeremiah Smith \u201chad the better season last year \u2026 this time around, I hope I can flex."},"content":{"rendered":"

Ryan Williams, the true freshman wide receiver for Alabama, is in line to make over $1.8 million<\/strong> in NIL deals this season \u2014 which ranks him second among all wide receivers in college football<\/strong> in terms of earnings.\u00a0The only WR reportedly ahead of him is Ohio State\u2019s Jeremiah Smith<\/p>\n

Williams himself has acknowledged how much Jeremiah Smith accomplished last season. In an interview with On3<\/em>, Williams said, \u201cSmith had the better season last year \u2026 this time around, I hope I can flex.\u201d \u00a0That line shows he\u2019s not shying away from the comparisons \u2014 in fact, he seems motivated by them. He\u2019s aware of what Smith did, agrees that Smith\u2019s season was outstanding, but also clearly wants to show that he can equal or exceed that performance this year.<\/p>\n

A bit of context: Williams\u2019 NIL valuation has been climbing fast. After his breakout performance against Georgia (six catches, 177 yards, one touchdown) his market value shot up significantly.His freshman totals in 2024 were 48 catches, 865 yards, and eight touchdowns, which is very impressive for someone so young and still adjusting to college ball.<\/p>\n

Williams has also spoken about the kind of relationship he and Smith have: a kind of friendly rivalry, pushing one another from afar. In an interview, he described their dynamic as \u201ciron sharpens iron.\u201dHe seems to respect what Smith has done, sees the benchmark, and wants to rise to meet it \u2014 possibly even surpass it.<\/p>\n

But outperforming or \u201cflexing\u201d doesn\u2019t just mean stats. For Williams it likely means consistency, leadership, showing up in big moments, avoiding dips, and being reliable week in and week out. He\u2019s younger than many of his peers, and part of the story is whether he can handle the physical and mental demands of being a focal point in Alabama\u2019s offense, which also carries high expectations. Injuries are a consideration too: there was a scare in Week 1 vs. Florida State where Williams had some drops and then suffered a concussion. (Bama Hammer<\/a>)<\/p>\n

So what does all this mean for the upcoming season?<\/p>\n

First, the financial side: making north of $1.8 million in NIL is huge for a freshman WR. It reflects not just performance, but marketability, social media presence, brand deals, and his growing star power. It means that brands see him as someone who will attract eyeballs \u2014 whether via highlight plays, viral moments (as happened against Georgia), or personality. (On3<\/a>)<\/p>\n

Second, the comparison to Smith: Jeremiah Smith had a sensational season, with awards, recognition, and big moments \u2014 including being key in Ohio State\u2019s success. Williams has implicitly conceded Smith\u2019s superiority last year but also signaled that he wants this year to be different. It\u2019s a challenge Williams seems to accept.<\/p>\n

Third, there is pressure. Comparisons at this level are rarely just flattering \u2014 they carry expectations. Can Williams avoid the plateau or sophomore slump (though he\u2019s still a freshman)? Can he remain healthy? Can he produce in big games? Can he become more consistent? Brands will expect more than just splash plays. Alabama and its coaching staff are going to want reliability, leadership, taking on more responsibility in the offense, being someone defenses cannot ignore.<\/p>\n

Fourth, the potential upside: if Williams does \u201cflex\u201d this season \u2014 meaning not just match but exceed expectations \u2014 he stands to further increase his NIL earnings, his draft stock, his national profile. He already has more than a few high-profile deals, and many eyes are on him. For a freshman at a program like Alabama, that gives him a big platform.<\/p>\n

Finally, it\u2019s interesting from a broader perspective: Williams and Smith are part of a new wave of receivers whose freshmen seasons are already having huge impact both on the field and off it. The NIL world now rewards performance and exposure quickly. For Williams, outperforming last season\u2019s benchmark isn\u2019t just about stats; it\u2019s about maximizing opportunities, staying in the news, being durable, and making the right plays when they matter.<\/p>\n

In summary, Ryan Williams is entering a season with enormous potential, big expectations, and a chance to change the narrative. He respects what Jeremiah Smith achieved, he sees Smith\u2019s season as the high-water mark, but he\u2019s clearly intent on proving that he belongs at that level \u2014 maybe even that he can surpass it. If he succeeds, the financial reward will likely follow, but more importantly, so will his legacy.<\/p>\n

If you want, I can try to break down what Smith did stat\u2011by\u2011stat vs. what Williams will need to match or surpass, and where analysts expect Williams to make his biggest gains.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Ryan Williams, the true freshman wide receiver for Alabama, is in line to make over $1.8 million in NIL deals this season \u2014 which ranks him second among all wide … <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":52140,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[2913,2912,2914],"class_list":["post-52139","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-2nd-most-in-cfb-for-wrs-williams-told-on3-in-an-interview-that-jeremiah-smith-had-the-better-season-last-year-this-time-around","tag-alabama-wr-ryan-williams-is-set-to-make-north-of-1-8m-this-season","tag-i-hope-i-can-flex"],"yoast_head":"\nAlabama WR Ryan Williams is set to make north of $1.8M this season, 2nd most in CFB for WRs - Williams told On3 in an interview that Jeremiah Smith \u201chad the better season last year \u2026 this time around, I hope I can flex.<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Ryan Williams, the true freshman wide receiver for Alabama, is in line to make over $1.8 million in NIL deals this season \u2014 which ranks\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/asport.com.ng\/?p=52139\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Alabama WR Ryan Williams is set to make north of $1.8M this season, 2nd most in CFB for WRs - 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