ESPN's college football analyst believes Alabama needs quality players to support Ryan Williams

In his freshman season, wide receiver Ryan Williams was a standout for the Alabama Crimson Tide. Despite the program having one of their most disappointing seasons in years, Williams exceeded expectations as a rookie.

He registered 48 receptions for 865 yards and eight TDs, leading the team in both yards and receiving TDs.

The Alabama Crimson Tide will be trying to get back to their winning ways in the 2025 season. To do so, Ryan Williams will need to be a key piece of the roster.

On Thursday, ESPN college football analyst Cole Cubelic appeared on "Beat Everyone: An AL.com Alabama Football Podcast" to discuss the Crimson Tide and what they need to do to win next season.

Towards the end of the show, they started to discuss Ryan Williams and what the Crimson Tide needs to do next season. He mentioned that while Williams is great, he thinks Alabama needs to have more than one elite wide receiver. He was asked specifically what position they need to figure out next season (starts at 33:30).

"I'm gonna probably go honestly wide receiver opposite Ryan Williams," Cubelic said. "I think Ryan Williams is amazing. I think he's kind of forgotten about going into this offseason. I would have him as a top-five player returning in all of college football. We know he can be special but honestly, you can't win with one anymore.

"This is not the Lane Kiffin-Amari Cooper days where you dial it up to him 158 times a season and people just can't cover him. You have to have that compliment and I feel like that group was a bit of a let-down last year. Now Germie Bernard had a great year and he'll be back and I think he can help a lot but that position has to have real juice."

Ryan Williams is viewed as a top-five wide receiver in college football

Heading into the 2025 college football season, Ohio State's Jeremiah Smith is viewed as the best returning wide receiver in the nation. However, behind him, there is an argument that Williams is the second-best returning wide receiver.

As only a freshman, he led one of the best teams in the nation in receiving, and should only improve as he gains more experience in his sophomore year.

However, it will be interesting to see how he handles a new quarterback. Jalen Milroe is headed to the 2025 NFL draft, and as a result, there is expected to be a battle for the starting QB job between Austin Mack, Keelon Russell and Ty Simpson.