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Under former coach Nick Saban, the Alabama Crimson Tide not only produced the first Heisman Trophy winner in program history, they saw three more players take home college football’s most prestigious individual award.
Mark Ingram was the first Crimson Tide player to win the Heisman in 2009. Derrick Henry followed Ingram in 2015, and Alabama players won back-to-back Heisman Trophies with DeVonta Smith in 2020 and Bryce Young in 2021.
Could Alabama’s next Heisman Trophy winner come in 2025? One USA TODAY Sports columnist is at least pondering the question.
As the Crimson Tide head into the season with one of the best receiver rooms in the country, it’s in large part thanks to the stellar play of 2024 freshman sensation Ryan Williams.
Williams led Alabama with 865 receiving yards and eight touchdowns last year while playing in all 13 games. He’ll enter his sophomore season with a new quarterback in Ty Simpson, himself a former five-star recruit out of Westview High School in Tennessee.
USA TODAY Sports’ Blake Toppmeyer on Wednesday listed five sleeper picks to win the 2025 Heisman Trophy. Williams was Toppmeyer’s “Hail Mary” candidate on a list that included Miami Hurricanes transfer Carson Beck, South Carolina quarterback LaNorris Sellers, Oklahoma QB John Mateer, and former Alabama commit and 5-star recruit Julian Sayin, the frontrunner to start for Ohio State.
Toppmeyer said of Williams:
“How’s this for a Heisman narrative: Williams, at 18 years old, would be the youngest player to win the award. He introduced himself on the scene with a 177-yard receiving game against Georgia. He’ll need to find more consistency as a sophomore to emerge as a contender. Alabama will have a new starting quarterback, and it’s unclear whether that will help or hamper the pass game. Williams’ Heisman hurdles include proving himself as…
Source link : https://rolltidewire.usatoday.com/story/sports/college/crimson-tide/football/2025/07/02/alabama-football-ryan-williams-heisman-trophy-sleeper-candidates-2025/84450231007/
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Publish date : 2025-07-02 21:39:00
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