"Ryan Williams is not the same": Shannon Sharpe goes scorched earth on Alabama star's struggles, anoints Jeremiah Smith as better WR

Alabama wide receiver Ryan Williams is going through a down year. The Crimson Tide pass catcher has struggled to replicate the form he showed in his freshman season.

Shannon Sharpe spoke about Williams on 'Nightcap'. He said,

"Something is going on with Williams. Ryan Williams is not the same. He’s not. He’s not, Ocho. He’s not. You see it, I see it, Johnny sees it. Everybody sees it. And don’t give me this, ‘That offensive line hasn’t been good all year.’ I don’t want to hear nothing about no offensive line. ‘Well he ain’t got no receivers around him. Oh he got other good receivers around him.’ So does Jeremiah Smith. And Jeremiah Smith shows up every week and he makes plays."

Sharpe continued,

"Ryan Williams, I don’t know if he’s injured, I don’t know if he has something going on outside of football. I just know the guy that I saw last year, I don’t even recognize this guy right now.”

Shannon Sharpe has valid concerns about the Alabama star. Williams amassed a stat line of 48 catches, 865 receiving yards and eight receiving touchdowns in 13 games as a freshman. He added 48 rushing yards and two rushing TDs for good measure.

This season hasn't been as explosive as Williams has mustered, with 39 catches, 573 receiving yards, and four touchdowns in eight games. The stats pale in comparison to Ohio State's Jeremiah Smith. Smith has racked up 69 catches, 902 receiving yards, and 10 receiving touchdowns in 10 games.

Ryan Williams and the Alabama Crimson Tide are aiming for a CFP berth

Ryan Williams and the Alabama Crimson Tide suffered just their second defeat of the 2025 college football season. That loss came against the Oklahoma Sooners at Tuscaloosa, Alabama.

The loss drops the Crimson Tide to an 8-2 record, leaving them with no margin for error until the end of the regular season. It's hard to imagine a three-loss side making the playoffs in what's been an ultra-competitive campaign.

Next up for Williams and his teammates is a game against Eastern Illinois. Kalen DeBoer's side will look to record a statement win and prove that the Oklahoma loss was a minor setback.

Edited by Nick Igbokwe