Ryan Williams named to Maxwell Award watchlist after stellar freshman season
Alabama Star Ryan Williams Earns Spot On Prestigious Watchlist After All-American Season originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
Alabama wide receiver Ryan Williams continues to rack up national recognition ahead of his sophomore campaign, landing on the 2025 Maxwell Award Watchlist announced Monday by the Maxwell Football Club.
Williams, one of 80 players named to the preseason list, is being recognized for his standout 2024 freshman season in which he led the Crimson Tide with 865 receiving yards and eight touchdown receptions. He also added 48 rushing yards with two scores and made an impact on special teams, returning punts and kickoffs.
The Maxwell Award, presented annually since 1937, honors the best all-around player in college football. It is voted on by a panel that includes sportscasters, sportswriters, NCAA coaches and Maxwell Football Club members. Semifinalists will be revealed on Nov. 11, with finalists announced Nov. 25. The winner will be unveiled during the ESPN Home Depot College Football Awards Show on Dec. 11.
Maxwell Award ▶️ Best Player in College Football @Ryanwms1
— Alabama Football (@AlabamaFTBL) July 28, 2025
🔗: https://t.co/cjuPmx8DTP | #RollTidepic.twitter.com/82tTTtQv2L
Williams earned First Team All-SEC honors in 2024 and was a unanimous Freshman All-SEC selection. His eight receiving touchdowns tied for the second-most among freshman receivers nationwide and ranked second overall in the SEC. He finished second on the Tide in receptions with 48, showcasing his ability to make plays in both vertical and short-yardage scenarios.
Alabama has a strong recent history with the Maxwell Award. Since 2013, five Crimson Tide players have earned the honor: AJ McCarron (2013), Derrick Henry (2015), Tua Tagovailoa (2018), DeVonta Smith (2020) and Bryce Young (2021). Williams is looking to become the sixth, adding to a growing legacy of elite Alabama talent recognized as college football's best.
The Maxwell Award has become a solid predictor of Heisman Trophy success in the College Football Playoff era, with the two honors aligning in nine of the last eleven seasons.
Williams enters the 2025 season as one of Alabama’s top offensive weapons under second-year coach Kalen DeBoer, and expectations, like always, are sky-high in Tuscaloosa.
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This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 28, 2025, where it first appeared.
Category: General Sports
