It wasn’t a flashy moment. No cameras. No viral clips. Just a quiet field in Tuscaloosa-and two receivers, one living legend and one rising star, trading routes and insight.
That’s where DeVonta Smith, Alabama’s former Heisman-winning WR and current NFL standout, met Ryan Williams, a freshman some in the Tide locker room are already whispering about like he’s next. Not the next guy to try-the next guy to become.
Smith didn’t wait for a formal introduction. He reached out. A few texts, a little coordination, and suddenly the two were running routes together, working in sync like teammates. But it wasn’t about training. It was about time. About presence. And, above all, about passing something down.
“I just wanted to meet him in person, chop it up,“ Smith told SEC Now. “Give him a little insight on what I think, what to expect. Because it’s only going to get tougher.”
Williams didn’t miss the moment. On College GameDay, the young receiver spoke openly about what that interaction meant to him-not just as a player, but as a person. “Just learning from a guy who’s really defied a lot of odds… he’s an amazing football player, but he’s an even better person.”
Not Just Moves-Mentorship: Why This Meeting Meant More Than Football
Forget highlight reels. What stuck with Williams was Smith’s attention to detail. The body control. The discipline. The way he moved with purpose. “Everything he does is deliberate,”Williams said.“I learned a lot about the little details… and I’ve been applying it ever since.”
It’s exactly what Alabama needs right now. Coming off a 9-4 season and the end of the Nick Saban era, new head coach Kalen DeBoer is reshaping the program. And if Williams becomes a leader-not just a playmaker-that transition gets a whole lot smoother.
Former Tide running back Damien Harris echoed the sentiment on CBS Sports HQ. He praised Williams’ talent but challenged him to lead. “Be a voice. Be the first guy in the drill. Because when you work like that, the guys around you step up too.”
That’s the power of a quiet moment with a living legend. It doesn’t just change how you run routes-it changes how you carry the weight of the jersey. And Ryan Williams seems ready.
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