It’s time to bust a myth! The world recognizes a valuable gem when it sees one. The title Williams intrigued so many as Alabama saw the rise of an unrivaled true freshman. His impressive agility and dodging abilities will give anyone a hard time believing he’s just 17. Ryan Williams answered one big question that has been bugging fans’ minds. And it seems, unlike the general speculation, athleticism runs in the blood of the Crimson Tide WR. 

Ryan Williams did a quick Q&A session in a new episode on his New Wave Podcast on January 23 to answer fans’ biggest questions about him based on Google searches. And no wonder people are googling if he’s related to tennis GOAT Serena Williams. Google might suggest a different thing as such there’s no familial tie between the two. But Ryan’s answer is short and contrasting — “Yeah, that’s my big cousin. She shouted me out on Twitter.”

For context, we have to go back to that game between Alabama and Georgia on September 28. With the Bulldogs leading by one point with just a couple of minutes remaining in the final quarter, Ryan Williams delivered a one-of-a-kind play that changed the direction of the game. He caught a long 75-yard throw from Jalen Milroe with precision despite being blocked by an opposing defender. He then displayed his insane speed and even made a spin evasion to sprint his way to the end zone to win the game 41-34. 

In that game, Ryan Williams caught six passes for 177 yards in addition to that final-minute touchdown. This spectacular performance turned the heads of everyone who watched him, including his big cousin Serena Williams, who shared this particular highlight of his play on X. It was this caption that Ryan had been talking about. The 43-year-old Tennis champ wrote, “Honestly, this is pretty impressive from my 17-year-old cousin ha go Cuz!” That’s high praise coming from the highest-earning women athlete of all time!

Ryan Williams – Alabama’s valuable star

Alabama may have missed the first 12-team playoff, but as far as personal achievement goes, it’s still a big year for Ryan Williams! After a productive season, he was named to the Football Writers Association of America’s 2024 Freshman All-America Team. This past season, he played and started in all 13 games and rounded up 865 receiving yards and eight TDs on 48 catches. Not only that, he also rushed for 48 yards for two scores, 120 yards in 10 punt returns, and 14 yards to two kickoff returns. 

In his debut CFB season, Ryan Williams is tied for the 4th-most receiving scores in the SEC. He also leads at No. 8 in yards per catch (18.02) and No. 10 in receiving yards per game (66.5). The Saraland native also earned first-team All-Southeastern Conference and Freshman All-SEC honors as well as a second-teamer in the league by Associated Press. But we can see now where the athleticism comes from and it’s innate. 

Ryan Williams still has a lot of years ahead of him to accomplish great feats in Tuscaloosa and beyond. Can he mirror his big cousin’s success?