Theodore’s Eric Collier has been coaching football 28 years.

He’s never coached against anyone quite like Ryan Williams.

“He’s the most dynamic kid I’ve ever seen,” Collier said this week

On Thursday in Montgomery, Saraland’s star wide receiver became the first sophomore to be named Mr. Football by the Alabama Sports Writers Association. He is the 41st winner of the ASWA’s top individual football award.

“He has the potential to be the best wide receiver ever to come out of Mobile or Baldwin County,” Collier said of Williams. “I coached against Julio (Jones), and he was big and strong, but this kid is so dynamic. Honestly, the sky is the limit.”

The 6-foot-1, 175-pound Williams, a quarterback just two years ago, accounted for 42 touchdowns this season in helping Saraland to a 14-1 record and the school’s first state football championship.

The Alabama commit is just the second underclassman to be named Mr. Football, joining Beauregard junior La’Damian Webb in 2016. He is also the second straight wide receiver to win the award after Thompson’s Ryan Peppins won a year ago.

“We’ve had guys who were fast, guys who played with great body control, who had great hands – Ryan is a combination of all of those things,” Saraland head coach Jeff Kelly said. “He is great off the line of scrimmage. People don’t have an easy time pressing him. He is able to separate on balls down the field. He makes the contested catch. I think what really sets him apart is the competitive nature that he rolls in with every day.”

Williams also was named the Class 6A Back of the Year at the annual ASWA Mr. Football Banquet, which was held at the Montgomery Renaissance and sponsored by ALFA Insurance and the Alabama High School Athletic Directors and Coaches Association. He is Saraland’s first Mr. Football winner. He also was named the Gatorade Alabama Player of the Year last week.

In a breakout season, Williams caught 88 passes for 1,641 yards and 24 touchdowns. He also rushed 57 times for 700 yards and 15 TDs, threw a touchdown pass and scored on a pair of punt returns.

“He was very explosive, very versatile,” Kelly said. “We were able to throw it to him, hand it to him, snap it to him. He created big plays in the punt game. He also created things for his teammates. Even with everyone trying to limit him, Ryan was still able to find ways to affect games in a huge way.”

In a 56-31 second-round playoff victory over Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa, Williams accounted for six total touchdowns.

“What jumps out is his elite speed,” Hillcrest coach Jamie Mitchell said after that game. “We’ve got guys who can run, and he just ran past guys who are pretty good players. Sometimes it looked like our guys weren’t even running. I don’t know what we would’ve done differently. It’s rare to see one player have that kind of effect on the game.”

Collier and his Theodore team got two shots and Williams and Saraland. The Bobcats handed the Spartans their only loss in the regular season before Saraland won the rematch in the state semifinals. Williams made key plays in both games.

“He is so elusive,” Collier said. “He can cut and be full speed in one step.”

Williams scored four first-half touchdowns in the Class 6A state title game against Mountain Brook at Auburn’s Jordan-Hare Stadium and was named MVP, capping his sophomore season in style.

“Ryan found a way to make a splash every Friday night,” Kelly said.

The ASWA named 8 Backs of the Year and 8 Linemen of the Year on Thursday.

Joining Williams in the Back of the Year category were Hewitt-Trussville QB Peyton Floyd (7A), UMS-Wright RB Cole Blaylock (5A), Oneonta RB Fluff Bothwell (4A), Piedmont QB Jack Hayes (3A), B.B. Comer RB/ATH Kamore Harris (2A), Elba RB Alvin Henderson (1A) and Lee-Scott RB George Meyers (AISA).

The Linemen of the Year winners were Thompson DL Peter Woods (7A), Gardendale DL Kelby Collins (6A), Charles Henderson DL Zion Grady (5A), Anniston OL Ryqueze McElderry (4A), Mobile Christian DL Sterling Dixon (3A), Highland Home DL Keldric Faulk (2A), Leroy DL Bryston Dixon (1A) and Patrician OL/DL Jack Gibson (AISA).

Hayes was the only player to repeat as a Back or Lineman of the Year winner.

Williams, Peter Woods and Hayes led the Super All-State selections, the top 12 players in the state regardless of class or position. Joining them as Super All-State selections were Hueytown QB Earl Woods, Bothwell, Mountain Brook RB Cole Gamble, Cherokee County RB Jacob Cornejo, Collins, Auburn OL Bradyn Joiner, Carver-Montgomery DL Qua Russaw, Hewitt-Trussville DL Hunter Osborne and Blaylock.

MR. FOOTBALL WINNERS

1982: Tommy Compton, Vigor

1983: Freddy Weygand, Emma Sansom

1984: Rod Green, Gardendale

1985: Pierre Goode, Hazlewood

1986: Larry Ware, Lee-Montgomery

1987: Robert Jones, Parker

1988: Darrell Williams, Vigor

1989: Steve Coleman, Pike County

1990: David Palmer, Jackson-Olin

1991: Robert Davis, Homewood

1992: Freddie Kitchens, Etowah

1993: Thomas Banks, West Jefferson

1994: Dawud Rasheed, Shades Valley

1995: Gorman Thornton, Jeff Davis

1996: Antoneyo Williams, Central-Tuscaloosa

1997: Mac Campbell, Alexandria

1998: DeMarco McNeil, Blount

1999: Cory Whisenant, Springville

2000: Carnell Williams, Etowah

2001: Brandon Cox, Hewitt-Trussville

2002: JaMarcus Russell, Williamson

2003: Chris Nickson, Pike County

2004: Jarod Bryant, Hoover

2005: Andre Smith, Huffman

2006: Larry Smith, Prattville

2007: Julio Jones, Foley

2008: Clint Moseley, Leroy

2009: Coty Blanchard, Cherokee County

2010: Jamal Golden, Wetumpka

2011: T.J. Yeldon, Daphne

2012: Jeremy Johnson, Carver-Montgomery

2013: Roc Thomas, Oxford

2014: Kerryon Johnson, Madison Academy

2015: Tyler Johnston, Spanish Fort

2016: La’Damian Webb, Beauregard

2017: Asa Martin, Austin

2018: Bo Nix, Pinson Valley

2019: Kristian Story, Lanett

2020: Ga’Quincy McKinstry, Pinson Valley

2021: Ryan Peppins, Thompson

2022: Ryan Williams, Saraland

This post will be updated