Alabama's Ryan Williams on Travis Hunter winning Biletnikoff: 'I can't let him do that'

When Nick Saban shockingly announced his retirement from coaching Alabama last January, a pair of the Crimson Tide's top recruits in the Class of 2024 weren't sure what their future held in store for them.

Star freshman wide receiver Ryan Williams, unlike many other top recruits ahead of their first year, had yet to settle into the school's campus in January. In an interview with FOX Sports' Keyshawn Johnson on Johnson's podcast "All Facts, No Brakes," Williams admitted that Saban's retirement initially threw a wrench into his future, leaving him uncertain on what he wanted to do. 

"It, like, shattered my whole recruiting process, because I'm born and raised from Alabama," Williams said. "I'm just like, ‘Man, what am I gonna do now?'"

Williams decommitted from Alabama just hours after Saban's retirement, opening up his recruitment again. As Williams contemplated his future at Alabama, fellow five-star recruit and Alabama native defensive back Jaylen Mbakwe had just moved onto campus for spring ball when Saban announced his retirement. His first day of team meetings was the day Saban retired. 

But as fellow Class of 2024 recruit Julian Sayin and standout safety Caleb Downs, among others, announced their intentions to hit the transfer portal after Saban's retirement (both former five-star recruits are now at Ohio State), it didn't take long for Mbawke to reaffirm his commitment to Alabama after the school hired Kalen DeBoer. 

"A lot that went into it, but I didn't want to make a decision just off emotions," Mbakwe told Keyshawn Johnson on "All Facts, No Brakes. "Once we got DeBoer, we had the first team meeting, I felt like that was a great place for me to stay in and be at. So it was just a good fit."

That decision helped