Alabama WR Ryan Williams Bold Admission Why Texas A&M Was His Second Choice
The Texas A&M Aggies nearly had a chance at landing Alabama star receiver Ryan Williams, according to the man himself.
The Texas A&M Aggies have assembled a strong 2024 recruiting class, featuring five-star recruit Terry Bussey and several experienced transfers like Nic Scourton, Cyrus Allen, Will Lee III, and Jaydon Hill.
Alabama freshman standout receiver Ryan Williams almost joined that group.
On his “New Wave Podcast” alongside Alabama cornerback Jaylen Mbakwe, Williams shared that Texas A&M was his second choice before he committed to the Crimson Tide. During the podcast, Alabama’s Director of Player Personnel, Bob Welton, asked Williams which school was initially his runner-up. Williams revealed that Texas A&M’s co-offensive coordinator and receivers coach Holmon Wiggins was a significant factor in his decision. Before joining Texas A&M in January 2024, Wiggins coached receivers at Alabama for five seasons, mentoring first-round talents like DeVonta Smith, Jerry Jeudy, Jaylen Waddle, Henry Ruggs III, and Jameson Williams.
“Who was your second choice?” Welton inquired. “Probably Auburn?”
At the end, Williams replied, “Texas A&M. Wigs almost had me.”
Welton humorously responded, “He didn’t – we had you! You weren’t going anywhere.”
The discussion starts at the 4:36 mark in the video.
Williams took official visits to Texas A&M (Jan. 12), LSU (Jan. 17), Alabama (Jan. 20), and Auburn (Feb. 3). He made three unofficial visits to Auburn, but ultimately the Aggies ranked higher than the Tigers.
It’s unclear how far behind Texas A&M was in the competition for Williams, a five-star recruit from Saraland, AL, who reclassified to the 2024 class. Regardless, it reflects positively on Texas A&M’s recruiting efforts that they were in contention for one of the top players.
However, Williams’ revelation may not be what Texas A&M fans want to hear, particularly given his impressive start to the season. In his first five collegiate games, he has recorded 19 catches for 544 yards and six touchdowns, plus one rushing touchdown. His standout moment came during a game against then-No. 2 Georgia on Sept. 28, where he made a spectacular 75-yard go-ahead touchdown catch with 2:18 remaining, totaling 177 yards in that game.
Despite his absence, the Aggies are having a strong season so far, boasting a 3-0 record in SEC play. They’ve climbed 10 spots to No. 15 in the AP Poll following a decisive 41-10 victory over then-No. 9 Missouri on Saturday.
Now, Texas A&M will enter a bye week before facing Mississippi State in Starkville on Saturday, Oct. 19.