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Braelon Allen reacts to Ryan Williams' age in Wisconsin-Alabama game

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“He's only 17!”

That was often the line during Braelon Allen's freshman season at Wisconsin in 2021, when the commentators seemed to recognize his age on every play. In 2024, that line is reserved for another star player in college football.

Alabama wide receiver Ryan Williams.

After Williams scored Alabama's first touchdown against Wisconsin on Saturday at Camp Randall Stadium, the Fox broadcast talked about the fact that he is only 17 years old and a high school transfer. Williams was a two-time Mr. Football at Saraland High School in Alabama.

The same story was often told in game broadcasts about Allen, who also transferred out of Fond du Lac High School and enrolled at the University of Wisconsin in 2021 as a 17-year-old.

Allen, who was selected by the New York Jets in the 2024 NFL Draft, had his eye on Saturday's Wisconsin-Alabama game, and it didn't escape his notice that much of the talk revolved around Williams' age, just as it had been about his own during his playing days in Madison.

“I now understand what y'all were saying about 17-year-old stuff…” Allen tweeted in the first half.

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Allen still can’t quite get away from the age issue.

At just 20 years old, he is the youngest player in the NFL, and in the Jets' Week 1 game on Monday, he made history as the youngest player to gain a yard in a game during the Super Bowl era.

Allen had an 8-yard run and a 9-yard catch on the Jets' final drive in their 32-19 loss to the San Francisco 49ers.

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Ryan Williams Stats vs. Wisconsin

College football fans will be hearing all about Williams this season. He was the SEC Freshman of the Week in the team's season-opening 63-0 win over Western Kentucky.

And Williams shows his immense talent against Wisconsin.

Williams overcame his Wisconsin defender on Saturday for a 31-yard touchdown that gave the Crimson Tide the lead in the first quarter.

Williams then caught a 47-yard pass from quarterback Jalen Milroe on the first play of the Crimson Tide's two-play TD drive just before halftime, extending the Crimson Tide's lead to 21-3.

At halftime, Williams had four pass catches for 78 yards and the touchdown.

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