Ryan Williams took the college football world by storm a couple seasons ago as a freshman wide receiver for the Alabama Crimson Tide.
His name was used in the same sentences as Ohio State phenom Jeremiah Smith. Even then, they seemed destined to be the top-two WRs taken a few years later in the NFL Draft.
The Alabama standout is back for his third season in 2026, but he’s now doing it with a different last name and different number on the back of his jersey.
He’s now known as Ryan Coleman-Williams.
He also changed his jersey number from 2 to 1.
Why Did Ryan Williams Change His Name?
Ryan Coleman-Williams has always been the name of the Alabama wide receiver.
That’s what it says on his birth certificate.
His mother’s name is Tiffany Coleman, and his father is Ryan Williams Sr.
The talented wideout has had a hyphenated last name since birth.
“It’s always been my name,” Coleman-Williams told USA Today before the start of the 2026 season. “I never didn’t have it. It’s been on my birth certificate since I was born. Literally, (the jersey) is the only thing that changed.”
Coleman-Williams is thinking about legacy and about standing out with his own familial name.
“No one else has Coleman-Williams,” he said before the season. “You’ll see a Coleman, and you’ll see a Williams, but nobody’s got Coleman-Williams. It’s just starting my legacy for my family.”
Coleman-Williams also shared before the season that his mom was a big fan of the change.
“She loved it,” Coleman-Williams said. “Actually, my granddad, I’m the last male with the last name Coleman, so if I didn’t use Coleman, it would’ve been over. That was another reason as well.”
Why Did Ryan Coleman-Williams Change His Jersey Number?
Coleman-Williams went from 2 to 1.
He wore 2 in his first two seasons at Alabama, but he wore 1 in high school.
It seems he simply wanted a vibes change. Coleman-Williams led the nation in drops a season ago, which isn’t a stat you want to lead the country in, so a change may have been in order.
There’s also something cool and sleek about that number 1 on the back of a football jersey. It almost makes a player seem faster.
Things didn’t get off to a perfect start on Saturday, though. Alabama was hosting East Carolina in its opener, and Coleman-Williams got open down the field. Keelon Russell tossed a good ball toward his speedy receiver, but Coleman-Williams dropped it.
It may have just been the jitters, but he’ll want to see things turn in a good direction sooner rather than later. Coleman-Williams is trying to build a strong legacy, after all.
Ryan Coleman-Williams Name Change Catches Immediate Attention With Alabama Drop