Coleman-Williams' Costly Drops Raise Questions For Alabama
Alabama wide receiver Ryan Coleman-Williams dropped two catchable passes in the first half of the Crimson Tide's season opener, renewing scrutiny of a receiver once considered a future star of the program. Despite the drops, he still finished the first half with four catches for 100 yards.
Coleman-Williams, then known as Ryan Williams, burst onto the scene as a true freshman in 2024, opening his college career with two catches for 139 yards, both touchdowns, in a win over Western Kentucky. At 17 years old, one of the youngest players in FBS football at the time, he went on to catch 48 passes for 865 yards and 10 total touchdowns, earning first-team All-SEC honors, second-team All-American recognition and a spot on the freshman All-American team. antepost
His sophomore season did not carry the same momentum, even while playing alongside quarterback Ty Simpson, who was later selected in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft by the Los Angeles Rams. This year, Alabama turns to sophomore quarterback Keelon Russell, and Coleman-Williams entered the season opener expected to take a step forward in his junior campaign.
Instead, the opener featured two notable misses. Midway through the first quarter, Russell found Coleman-Williams open down the seam, but the pass slipped through his hands. The broadcast crew called it "the bugaboo from last season." Later in the half, on a fade-stop route into the end zone, Coleman-Williams again had the ball go through his hands on a play that appeared open for a touchdown. His four catches and 100 yards in the same half showed the playmaking ability that made him a highly regarded prospect, underscoring the inconsistency now surrounding his game. Alabama will need more from its wideout as the season progresses if the Crimson Tide hope to contend for a national title.
