Is Ryan Williams playing today vs. ULM? Latest concussion update

After suffering a concussion in Alabama's Week 1 loss to Florida State, star sophomore WR Ryan Williams is not expected to play tonight against UL Monroe in the home opener, according to a report from On3's Chris Low:

It's not yet known whether Williams hasn't cleared concussion protocol or if he's just being held out for an abundance of caution. The sensational sophomore returned to practice already, but has been seen sporting a black, non-contact jersey.

Williams' 2025 season did not get off to the start that he hoped for. He caught five passes for 30 yards, but was also credited with three dropped passes. The Alabama offense was stuck in the mud for most of the day after the opening touchdown drive, and their star WR being bottled up was a big reason why.

In any case, there was no real reason to rush Williams back in a game Alabama shouldn't need him in. If he's necessary to a Tide victory over UL Monroe, then this team has many, many more problems this year than Williams would be able to solve.

Who steps up in Ryan Williams' absence?

In last week's depth chart release before the Florida State game, redshirt sophomore Cole Adams was listed as Williams' backup at the "H" spot. But my expectation will be that the deck will be shuffled a bit this week, and redshirt freshman Rico Scott will likely earn the start in Williams' stead.

Scott was the clear WR4 coming out of camp behind the starting trio of Williams, Germie Bernard, and Isaiah Horton. Scott could start in the slot as Alabama tries to take advantage of his speed, or either Bernard or Horton could play that role, too. There's a lot of versatility in the Crimson Tide's WR room.

I would also expect true freshman Lotzeir Brooks to see significant playing time tonight. He's a player the coaching staff was really high on during spring practice, but an injury during fall camp cost him some valuable reps heading into the season.

Brooks saw the fifth-most snaps of any WR in Week 1 against Florida State. With Kalen DeBoer making it known that Alabama needs to hit some explosive plays on offense, it makes sense that they may want to get a longer look at Brooks. He has a lot of big-play ability with his speed and start-stop ability.

Adams is more reliable as a steady veteran, but if Alabama wants to find the explosive plays, they'll favor the freshman.

This could also be a massive opportunity for sophomore Jaylen Mbakwe, who could see his first extended playing time at WR since making the position swap.