"Never heard of this dude","DeBoer gets who he wants": Fans react as 3-star WR Brian Williams snubs Notre Dame for Ty Simpson's Alabama

Fans reacted as three-star wide receiver Brian Williams committed to Alabama's 2026 class on Tuesday.

The Florida native chose Ty Simpson's program over Penn State, Florida and Notre Dame.

“God is good, Blitz Bama Blitz!!,” Williams told On3's Hayes Fawcett following his commitment.

Fans were quick to react to Williams' commitment to Kalen DeBoer's Crimson Tide.

"Never heard of this dude," one wrote.

"Man bama is gonna have a weird class, probably 5 5 stars but the rest are 3 stars," another wrote.

Williams is Alabama’s second wide receiver commit for the 2026 cycle, joining Owen Cabell, who committed earlier this week. DeBoer now has 16 total commitments in the class, with seven on the offensive side of the ball.

Several fans praised DeBoer for his aggressive recruiting.

"Deboer gets who he wants," one wrote.

"Bama staff cooking #RTR," a netizen wrote.

"Deboer runs the country and there’s nothing yall can do," one added.

"Welcome to Bama. Roll Tide !!," another wrote.

Williams marks Alabama’s first commitment out of Florida for the 2026 class. Last season, he played at Lake Mary High School in Florida and is now set to suit up for The First Academy in 2025.

As a junior in the 2024 season, Williams recorded 23 receptions for 359 yards and five touchdowns. He describes himself as “a 6-foot-4 guy who runs routes and gets off the line like he’s 5-5 but makes catches like a big 6-4 receiver.” He also logged times of 11.29 seconds in the 100-meter dash and 23.08 in the 200.

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Why Brian Williams chose Alabama over Notre Dame and Kentucky

Brian Williams’ official visit to Alabama from June 6-8 proved to be a turning point, which set the Crimson Tide apart from other contenders.

He had initially planned trips to Notre Dame and Kentucky later in the summer, but those were eventually canceled after his time in Kalen DeBoer's program.

A key factor was the strong connection Williams felt with Alabama’s wide receivers coach JaMarcus Shephard during his official visit.

“They’re going to set me up to take me far," Williams told On3 following the trip. “It was on the official visit. I wasn’t sure until Coach Shep detailed the plan for me, from when I first get there…it was really specific towards me.”

Coach DeBoer also impressed Williams, who told Bama247:

"He's very chill guy who knows his stuff and knows what he is talking about. He's level-headed and he does what he needs to do."

Moreover, the Crimson Tide's offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb, along with Miami transfer Isaiah Horton and freshman Ivan Taylor, also played big roles in shaping Williams’ decision.