What grade is Ryan Williams in? Closer look at Alabama commit's NCAA eligibility and academics

Ryan Williams became a sensation in the college football world after catching a game-winning touchdown for Alabama in the game against Georgia in Week 5. This was only his first game in the SEC, but he handled it like he had a lot of experience, leading many to inquire about his class.

Williams is only at the beginning of his college football career. The wide receiver enrolled at Alabama for his freshman year this season but has caught the attention of many fans in just a few games. The 17-year-old reclassified at high school to join the 2024 recruiting cycle.

Ryan Williams has at least two more years to play in college football, a huge opportunity to showcase his further in the landscape. He initially entered the transfer portal following the retirement of Nick Saban. However, Kalen DeBoer convinced him to stay.

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Kalen DeBoer reflects on Ryan Willams' importance

When Kalen DeBoer was hired at Alabama, he was immediately thrust into a whirlwind of responsibilities. Juggling what felt like too many tasks to handle at once, the coach got to work immediately to put things to order following the chaos caused by the sudden exit of Saban

One of his top priorities was retaining his own roster, but he acknowledged that Ryan Williams was also a key focus. With the NCAA transfer portal already closed, DeBoer had no option to bring in new players through transfers, leaving recruiting as the only avenue for adding talent.

“He was a priority right off the bat,” DeBoer said on Wednesday in his appearance on ‘The Paul Finebaum Show.’ “There was a lot happening and the most important thing is the entire team.

“There were not going to be transfers for us to go bring in, we had to keep the retention of our team. But anything outside of who we already had in the program, Ryan was certainly a priority.”

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More trust in Ryan Williams for Jalen Milroe

Jalen Milroe connected with Ryan Williams for a 75-yard game-winning touchdown against Georgia in Tuscaloosa last Saturday. The play showed the chemistry they've built, and the quarterback only gained more trust in the wide receiver after the catch.

"I just have so much trust in him," Milroe said. He's gonna do something special with the football, and it's also after the catch, what he can do with the football in his hands.

“He's just a key resource for us moving forward and I'm just super happy to have him as my teammate. One thing about Ryan is that he has an approach to constantly grow... That's something that has been evident as he's been here.”

After Milroe lost a couple of his receivers last season, including Jermaine Burton (drafted to the NFL) and Isaiah Bond (transferred to Texas), Williams comes in to fill the void, creating no daunting issues on the Crimson Tide offense.