It’s Ryan Williams and Jeremiah Smith’s world, and we’re just living in it. Two of the most electric true freshmen in the country in 2024 aren’t just sharing the spotlight. They’re owning it. In an era defined by speed, swagger, and stat sheets, these two rewrote the freshman playbook. And now, they’re not just in the game. They’re on the game. Meaning? The superstar duo have been selected as the cover athletes on the standard version of EA Sports’ College Football 26. But what’s got fans buzzing isn’t just the cover art. It’s what happened behind the scenes on the mic, off the field. 

When the New Wave Podcast dropped its May 28 episode, it wasn’t just another NIL-driven interview. It was a confessional booth for two young titans sizing each other up. First was Ryan Williams who was asked by the interviewer, “What do you think your rating should be heading into this next season?”

To this, the Alabama Crimson Tide wide receiver responded with humility, “Last year, finished strong with a 90 overall. This year, at the beginning of the season, we got to go like 94-95. We got to start strong, but by the end of the season we going to have that 99. We going to finish strong. We just not going to worry about it,” before adding, “That’s not a true…That’s not a true [estimation] overall, you know. Y’all can give me like 60-62. I’ll take it.”

However, when it came to making an estimation about Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Jeremiah Smith, Williams made sure he went all out. “Overall 95. Speed, it can’t be higher than mine, so we going to say 96, 97,” he said of the Ohio State WR. And his best attribute? “Strength, if mine was a 62, he got to be about 80. I had seen some crazy stuff. So yeah, about a 75, 80.” Smith laughed it off and dished it right back. “Overall 95, 96. Speed, I’m going to go 97, 98,” he said, and made a long pause for the next rating. “Strength, 65.” You can feel the mutual respect stitched into every playful jab. 

With a smaller frame at 6’0, 175 pounds, speed is Ryan Williams’ forte. Even Smith is impressed with “that speed” of the 18-year-old  Alabama WR. “His speed is different. I’ve got a little speed, but I’d take his speed for sure. I need that.” And Williams, of course, would love to take from the 6’3, 220-pounder what he lacks. “He’s a big dog,” he said of Smith. “I wish my hands were bigger. If I had his hands, oh my goodness, it’d be crazy.”

Stat-wise, both earned their stripes. Ryan Williams put up 865 yards and eight TDs on 48 receptions at just 17 years of age, last season. The Buckeyes standout caught 76 passes for 1,315 yards and 15 TDs (both Big Ten freshman records) and a national title. Having said that, the stars will reportedly grace both the standard and deluxe edition cover, with the latter also including stars like Kirby Smart, Reggie Bush, Tim Tebow, Ryan Day and the Oregon Duck. As for the game, it will be releasing for Xbox Series X|S and PlayStation 5 on July 10, with MVP bundle of College Football 26 and Madden 26 buyers getting the chance to access it three days early. 

But now that we know what was to know about the video game, did you know Ryan Williams and Jeremiah Smith had once nearly became a duo in college football?

The almost dynasty of Ryan Williams and Jeremiah Smith 

Turns out we were close to seeing Ryan Williams and Jeremiah Smith wear the same jersey. In an interview with Chris Vannini of The Athletic, both stars revealed that during a recruiting visit to Georgia, the idea of teaming up wasn’t just fantasy. It was discussed. “I tried,” the Bama star said. “I tried to get him. I was like, ‘Team up,’ and he was like ‘Hmmm’. We thought about it. We didn’t think about it.” “It would’ve been crazy,” the OSU standout added. “I don’t know how you stop that.” To this, Williams answered, “You can’t.” 

And how can any defense stop that? We’re talking about two of the top WRs in the nation. If they were on the same offense, defensive coordinators would be at their wits’ end. But this revelation gave the biggest blow to Georgia, which was on the verge of getting what could be one of the most formidable WR duos of all time. Instead, Ryan Williams landed at Tuscaloosa and even beat the Bulldogs 41-34 in the regular season, topped off by a 75-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter, helping secure the win.

And now, it’s going to be another intriguing competition for EA Sports fans. It’s going to be Ryan Williams vs Jeremiah Smith. Speed or strength? You decide.