Breaking onto the scene as a 17-year-old true freshman at Alabama and immediately becoming a star could have easily led to complacency. That's especially true when the offseason has seen everyone singing your praises and opportunities like being on the cover of the new College Football 26 video game coming to your doorstep.
But star WR Ryan Williams isn't taking anything for granted. He's working as hard as ever to come back even better as a sophomore.
As part of his preparation for the 2025 season, Williams spent some time working out with an Alabama legend. He joined Heisman Trophy winner DeVonta Smith in Florida for a few days to workout with him and pick the brain of the greatest receiver in Tide history.
Williams has embraced the Smith comparisons since coming to Tuscaloosa. He idolizes the current Eagles receiver. They both have slender builds, and Smith had one of the most prolific careers for a receiver in college football history. He's also one of the hardest-working players around. He's exactly the type of player you want Williams to emulate.
DeVonta Smith taught Ryan Williams consistency in everything
Williams joined the ESPN College GameDay podcast this week, and part of what he discussed was what he learned from working out with Smith.
"Everything looks the same," said Williams. "Every time he comes off the ball, it all looks the same."
"The consistency of everything he does, it looks the exact same every single time."
Making everything look the same coming off the line is one of the little idiosyncrasies that makes a good receiver a great one. Smith never gives anything away at the line.
We all know Williams is a high-level athlete and one of the most talented players in the country. But obviously, as a young receiver, he has work to do to become a better tactician at his position. That stuff doesn't happen overnight. If you want to be great, it's going to take work.
Smith's work ethic is the stuff of legend. It's why an undersized kid from Louisiana became a Heisman Trophy winner in college and a Super Bowl champion in the NFL. That didn't happen by accident. He worked his tail off to make it happen.
Williams also talked about Smith's elite body control. That stood out considering Williams might have the best body control for a young receiver I've ever seen. That would be an area of his game where it would be understandable if he felt like he was good to go. But his being open to feedback and improving on that is what is going to make him a superstar.
"The way he’s able to control his body is truly remarkable. I learned a lot about the little details of how I can do that for myself and just taking my game to the next level."
Williams was a problem for defenses as a freshman. The way he's working this offseason, that problem is going to become a nightmare.