Alabama's Ryan Williams Could Follow in Travis Hunter's Footsteps After Latest News

Alabama's Ryan Williams Could Follow in Travis Hunter's Footsteps After Latest News originally appeared on Athlon Sports.

Throughout the 2024 college football season, Alabama Crimson Tide wide receiver Ryan Williams caught the attention of many because as a true freshman, he appeared in 13 games, racking up 48 receptions, 865 yards and eight touchdowns.

That led him to earn some exciting personal accolades, including being placed alongside Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Jeremiah Smith on ESPN's Freshman All-American team.

Now, as Williams gears up for his second season, he's being eyed as someone who could take home some big awards, and on Thursday, he was one of 46 players added to the Paul Hornung Award watch list. The award is given to the nation's most versatile player.

Who Else Has Won the Paul Hornung Award?

The award was first given out in 2010, and since then, there have been a number of recognizable names to bring it home.

Most recently, Travis Hunter of the Colorado Buffaloes won it in both 2023 and 2024, which doesn't come as too much of a surprise considering his dominance at both cornerback and wide receiver, which also made him the first player to win twice.

Another name every Alabama fan will recognize is wide receiver DeVonta Smith, who brought it home in 2020 after a season with 117 receptions, 1,856 yards and 23 touchdowns while returning 15 kick and punt returns for 289 yards and one touchdown.

What Could Make Williams Eligible for the Award?

Of course, Williams won't be making some big switch to a defensive position, but that's not the only way to win it, because according to the award's website, one criterion allows a player to "start as a position player on offense or defense and play a significant role on special teams."

Others include, "Make a significant impact during big games such as scoring, big plays, productivity, etc.," and "Elevate the team’s performance through leadership displayed by excelling in multiple roles at one or more positions."

The other position for Williams could be that of a return specialist, as he did get some experience in 2024, bringing back a combined 14 kick and punt returns for 134 yards, but zero touchdowns.

An increase in production in that role would certainly help his chances of winning the award, with John Mitchell of Bama Hammer projecting that Jaylen Mbakwe and Williams will be Alabama's primary punt returners in 2025.

Related: Ryan Day, Ohio State Receive Unfortunate Injury News on Thursday

This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 31, 2025, where it first appeared.