**Top Recruit Ryan Williams Decommits from Alabama Following Saban’s Retirement**
In a significant development shortly after news broke of Nick Saban’s retirement, five-star wide receiver Ryan Williams announced his decision to decommit from Alabama’s 2024 recruiting class. Williams, ranked as the No. 9 overall prospect and No. 3 wide receiver in the ESPN 300, revealed his change of commitment to ESPN on Wednesday.
Williams, from Saraland, Alabama, had been committed to Alabama since October. The announcement of Saban’s retirement took him by surprise. “I actually had no idea,” Williams said. “It’s the dead period, and I just saw other players transferring or declaring for the draft. I found out about Saban through Twitter.”
After confirming the news with Alabama’s coaching staff, Williams decided to decommit shortly thereafter. The departure of Coach Holmon Wiggins, his position coach, had already been challenging, but Saban’s exit was a tipping point for him. “With Coach Saban leaving, it felt like the end of an era. That was the final straw,” he explained.
Williams had not signed a national letter of intent during the early signing period in December and was planning to sign on his birthday in February. Since he remains unsigned, he is free to continue exploring his options.
Although the NCAA recruiting calendar is currently in a dead period, which prohibits in-person contact between coaches and prospects until Friday, Williams has already identified several schools he is interested in. “Texas has always been a top choice due to Steve Sarkisian’s offense, and they’re a strong contender,” Williams noted. “Texas A&M is also appealing, especially with my receivers coach from Alabama now there, and Auburn is in the mix too.”
Williams plans to visit Texas A&M this weekend and had originally intended to visit Alabama the following weekend. Whether he will make that visit depends on whether Alabama has appointed a new coach by then.
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