Ty Simpson has an exciting bold prediction for Ryan Coleman-Williams in 2026

Some of the biggest turnarounds don't happen on Saturdays; they happen in the quiet, when a tough year forces a reset and a player to lock in, to rebuild everything, from strength, confidence, and identity. So when they come back, they don't just look different — they are different. 

That's the version of Ryan Coleman-Williams that Ty Simpson guarantees Alabama fans and the college football world are about to see in 2026. Not the flashy but inconsistent and dropped-plagued one most remember last fall, but the one he's witnessed up close.

As a sophomore, Williams never quite found the rhythm he once had that launched him into stardom as a 17-year-old true freshman in 2024. The flashes were there every other Saturday, but there were noticeable spurts instead of stretches in Hollywood's game. Williams let a lot of Alabama fans and those on the outside who had high expectations for him in his second season in Tuscaloosa. 

This letdown came in the form of being one of the nation's leaders in drops with 13 on 69 total targets. And even though he still managed to end up with a modest 43 receptions for 636 yards and four touchdowns, many people believed he underachieved, with NFL talent evaluators like Mel Kiper coming out and saying "He wasn't what we thought he was". That disappointment has now led to a rebrand for the junior wide receiver, coming in the form of a name and number change, as he had no choice but to take a hard look in the mirror this offseason by refocusing on the things that got him this far.

That rebuild was apparent in the eyes of his former quarterback Ty Simpson, when the potential first-round Alabama prospect threw to him and other Tide receivers on Alabama's official Pro Day for the first time in months. Simpson made this known afterwards to reporters when dropping a bold prediction on Coleman-Williams upcoming junior campaign for Alabama.

Ty Simpson's guarantees Ryan Coleman-Williams will be a different player in 2026

"Did y'all see him?" Simpson said in amazement at Coleman-Williams' added size. "You see how big he is? He's gained so much weight. He's grown up. He's a big guy in the room now. I'm so happy for him and so proud of him because I know how much he loves Alabama football.. Y'all can write it down: Ryan's gonna have a really big year." 

Simpson and Coleman-Williams consistently connected on every route tree in the book during drills. In between reps, former Alabama receiver and draft prospect Germie Bernard was also able to get a glimpse of the new and improved Coleman-Williams, and he, too, thinks the junior wideout is ready to turn things around in 2026. 

Germie Bernard doubles down on Simpson's take and says Ryan Coleman-Williams is ready for the moment in 2026

"He's been mature since the first day he stepped on campus," Bernard told reporters. "He has a go-get-it mindset. He's slowly developing into a pro. It's great to see the growth, man, and just being able to be here and be able to have someone to lean on, an older guy like me. Just seeing him ask questions and being able to be a sponge and want to learn, you know, get better each week and each day. It's a guy that's been resilient, a guy that's always consistent with what he does, no matter how the performance is."

These endorsements should be music to Crimson Tide fans' ears, especially when it comes to Alabama's leaders and most productive players on the day of their NFL auditions. And if there's one thing Alabama has built its foundation on, it's not avoiding adversity — it's responding to it. 

The great ones in Tuscaloosa aren't defined by the seasons that go right, but by how they answer the ones that don't. And for Coleman-Williams, 2025 may have been the wakeup call. But 2026 is now shaping up to be the response.