Ryan Coleman-Williams is making a notable change as he heads into the most important season of his young career: the Alabama receiver is planning to play without gloves.
It’s a small detail on the surface, but for a wideout trying to clean up a growing drop problem and push himself back into the first-round conversation for the 2027 NFL Draft, it stands out. Coleman-Williams enters his junior year with the kind of talent that can lift his stock in a hurry. Another season like his sophomore campaign, though, would do the opposite.
His second year at Alabama was a step backward. He played one more game than he did as a freshman, yet finished with four fewer yards per catch, 176 fewer total yards and four fewer receiving touchdowns. The biggest issue, at least from the outside, has been his hands.
That’s why the gloves are coming off. Literally.
Coleman-Williams said the decision is nothing new for him. It’s actually how he’s always worked.
“I actually practiced with no gloves pretty much my whole life,” Coleman-Williams said. “So, I mean, since I’ve been a receiver, I’ve been practicing with no gloves.”
The talent has never been hard to spot. Coleman-Williams has the kind of speed that jumps off the field, plus the wiggle to slip contact and the twitch to stress a defense on every snap. But the catching part hasn’t always kept pace with everything else.
Since 2024, only two receivers have dropped more passes than Coleman-Williams. Last season, his 13.6% drop rate was tied for the fifth highest among receivers averaging at least two catches per game.
Coleman-Williams says he’s locked in on the daily grind, looking for any edge that can help him sharpen his game.
“I just keep trying to find ways every single day to focus on what details that I’m gonna try to get 1% better at every day,” Coleman-Williams said. “So, just finding ways to increase my value for this team and the goals that we have for this season.”
Teammate Zabien Brown sees the work up close and doesn’t have any doubts about what Coleman-Williams brings.
“I guard him every day,” Brown said. “He has no gloves on, and he’s just a dog.
I don’t even think he drinks water during practice, and he’s always rolling. I know that when I line up against him, I’m getting the best work in the country.
And I’m grateful to have him on my team.”
Now, that version of Coleman-Williams is set to show up Saturday afternoon in the heat of Tuscaloosa.
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Alabamas Opener Comes Down To 3 Early Signs Fans Need To See
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On defense, the spotlight shifts to the line and the transfer help that could shape that unit right away. Devan Thompkins, Terrance Green and Kedrick Bingley-Jones are among the new names the staff is counting on, and the confidence around that group is part of why the opener matters so much beyond the final score. If Alabama can stay healthy, cut down on mistakes and get those early signs from both lines, it should leave the kind of first impression that travels well into conference play. [Read more 🡒]