Ryan Williams burst onto the scene as a 17-year-old college phenom last year. He was one of the most notable wide receivers in the country for being so young yet already so good at the game. He had some up-and-down play, but he showed the talent that has likely only grown over the offseason. Can he win the Heisman? If he does, he'll make history.
Wide receivers have won the Heisman before. Alabama players have won the Heisman before as well. Notably, Alabama wide receiver Devonta Smith won the award, so that checks both boxes. But no one has ever won the Heisman at Smith's age. Should he beat the odds and outdo Cade Clubnik, Arch Manning, and the rest of the college world, it'll be historic, according to USA Today's Blake Toppmeyer.
As for Williams, Toppmeyer said, "He introduced himself on the scene with a 177-yard receiving game against Georgia. He’ll need to find more consistency as a sophomore to emerge as a contender." Alabama's new starting quarterback situation makes that hard to predict, as there's no telling what sort of passing game the Crimson Tide will have.
"Williams' Heisman hurdles include proving himself as the nation’s best receiver within a landscape that includes Jeremiah Smith from Ohio State," Toppmeyer added. Smith is arguably the best overall player in college football, so Williams has his work cut out for him. He does, however, get the allure of playing for Alabama, which does sometimes help separate players from their counterparts.