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Five-star prospects are the talk of every college football program when they commit, but it's on the prospects to live up to that hype throughout their college careers.
There are former five-star players like Ohio State wide receiver Jeremiah Smith, who waste no time showcasing their dominance.
There are also the Tate Martells and Byron Cowarts, who fizzle into obscurity after their college careers.
Alabama wide receiver Ryan Coleman-Williams is somewhere in the middle.
The 19-year-old junior had some big moments in his previous two seasons with the Crimson Tide, but both seasons ended disappointingly for Coleman-Williams.
Cooper Petagna of CBS Sports revisited the five-star prospects from the class of 2024 and determined if they will meet their expectations in 2026.
Petagna believes Coleman-Williams is capable of meeting expectations in his junior season.
"After electrifying the sport at 17 years of age as a true freshman, Coleman-Williams suffered somewhat of a setback as a sophomore, seeing dip in receiving yards, yards per reception and leading the FBS in drops with 13," Petagna wrote.
"Although his second-year production didn't quite meet the standard set by his freshman season, Coleman-Williams' game-breaking ability is still one of the anchors of Alabama's passing game, and there's no doubt he's a legitimate Day 1 NFL talent." How did Coleman-Williams perform in his first two seasons of college football? Coleman-Williams' performance against Georgia in 2024 had many believing he was among college football's next crop of dominant wide receivers; he finished with six receptions for 177 yards and an unforgettable game-winning touchdown.
However, Coleman-Williams never accumulated more than 82 yards in any of Alabama's nine remaining games.
Despite the drop off in production, Coleman-Williams hauled in several honors at the end of the 2024 season.
The SEC named Coleman-Williams to its First Team and All-Freshman Team, and he earned Freshman All-America honors from four different outlets.
Coleman-Williams' most productive outing of 2025 was against Wisconsin; he caught five passes for 165 yards and two touchdowns.
He faded down the stretch once again, finishing the year with 49 receptions for 689 yards and four touchdowns.
What are Coleman-Williams' surroundings in 2026? Coleman-Williams has to develop chemistry with a third quarterback in as many seasons.
Austin Mack and Keelon Russell are competing for the Crimson Tide's starting job, although it sounds as if Russell is the favorite.
With Germie Bernard off to the NFL and Isaiah Horton at Texas A&M, Coleman-Williams is the most proven commodity for the Crimson Tide at wide receiver.
Lotzeir Brooks is coming off a 2025 campaign that saw him catch 32 passes for 441 yards and a pair of touchdowns, but much of what Alabama will field at wide receiver is newer to the program.
Some of Coleman-Williams' falloff can be attributed to ineptitude in the rushing attack.
Alabama brought in a new coach and new personnel for its offensive line and a five-star freshman at running back in EJ Crowell to pair with Daniel Hill, all in hopes of giving the offense more dimension in 2026.
Tucker Harlin is a passionate sports fan and journalist covering college sports.
His work can be found on Vols Wire of the USA TODAY Sports Media Group and The Voice of College Football Network.
He graduated from the School of Journalism and Media at the University of Tennessee in 2024 and is based in Nashville.
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