Ryan Coleman-Williams is earning believers again ahead of pivotal Alabama season

Ryan Coleman-Williams' sophomore season wasn't what he - or any Alabama fan - hoped for. After an electric freshman year where he broke onto the scene as just a 17-year-old, bigger and better things were expected for him as a sophomore.

Unfortunately, Coleman-Williams struggled with drops, and the moments of brilliance were too few and far between to overshadow them.

He went from one of the faces of college football entering the season to an afterthought at the end.

Despite the disappointment of last season, expectations remain high for Coleman-Williams coming into his junior year.

All signals from inside the building in Tuscaloosa point toward a major bounce-back season for the former 5-star recruit. He's put on some weight, emerged as one of the vocal leaders for the team, and has put in the work to improve his hands to avoid being plagued by drops.

At SEC Media Days, the media voters for the All-SEC teams gave a firm indication that they expect Coleman-Williams to have a big year, too. He was named to the preseason All-SEC first team on Friday:

Ryan Coleman-Williams one of 3 Alabama players named to preseason All-SEC 1st Team

Coleman-Williams was a bit of a controversial selection alongside former Auburn WR Cam Coleman on the first team. There are others who had better years than him last year, but it's just another signal of the expectations for the star WR as a junior.

A sophomore slump is nothing new for elite Alabama WRs. Guys like Julio Jones and Amari Cooper had "down" seasons in year two after breakout freshman campaigns. They both had massive junior seasons before becoming high picks in the NFL Draft.

That's what Coleman-Williams will try to replicate.

He's the head of the snake for what should be one of the nation's top WR rooms. He'll be joined by sophomore Lotzeir Brooks, who had a breakout freshman season. Brooks was one of the heroes in Alabama's come-from-behind win over Oklahoma in the College Football Playoff.

Junior Rico Scott, sophomore Derek Meadows, and freshman Cederian Morgan will provide quality depth behind those two, with all three competing for a starting role in the absence of injured NC State transfer Noah Rogers. Rogers will play a significant role when he's able to get back on the field.

Coleman-Williams is still one of the most electrifying playmakers in the country. He lost some of the faith of Ty Simpson and the coaching staff last season because of his inability to haul in catches, but there aren't many players in college football who elicit the same fear from defenders when he has the ball in his hands.

If he has solved his biggest issue from last season, then Coleman-Williams will emerge once again as one of the premier players in the country, with All-SEC recognition not nearly enough of a reward.

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