Ryan Williams leads Alabama over Mississippi in 2023 all-star football game

The big-time prospects in the Mississippi-Alabama game didn't disappoint Saturday in Hattiesburg

HATTIESBURG, MISSISSIPPI — A late roster addition in the 2023 Mississippi-Alabama All-Star football game proved to be a good one for the boys from Bama Saturday at M.M. Roberts Stadium.

Saraland receiver Ryan Williams, a consensus five-star prospect added to the Alabama squad earlier this week after reclassifying from 2025 to 2024 last week, caught two first-half touchdowns to lead Alabama to a 26-17 win over the Mississippi All-Stars.

“It’s been a crazy week,” said Williams, who took home MVP honors after eight catches and 92 yards. “I didn’t even know I was going to be playing in this game this time last week. I’m just blessed.”

Williams was one of several stars for Alabama.

Andalusia’s Jamarion Burnette, a four-star tailback who remains uncommitted, rushed for 69 yards and a touchdown on a day when Alabama averaged just 2.3 yards a carry as a team against a good defensive front from Mississippi.

Quarterbacks Jared Hollins and Roman Gagliano combined to complete 15 out of 26 pass attempts for 310 yards and three touchdowns.

Williams was the star in the receiving game. He caught a 48-yard touchdown pass after leaving a defender in the dust on a double move midway through the second quarter, then caught a jump ball in the corner of the end zone to put Alabama ahead 20-10 at the halftime break.

Ryan Williams gets open on the double move and Gagliano drops it right in his breadbasket for a 48-yard TD.

Alabama 14, Mississippi 7
7:37 2nd Quarter pic.twitter.com/wj4NLe0EGM

— Tyler Cleveland (@TylerCleveland) December 16, 2023

Donavan Price had two catches for 87 yards and Malcolm Simmons caught an 88-yard touchdown that put Alabama ahead 26-10 late in the third quarter.

Alabama commit Dre Kirkpatrick from Gadsden City led the way for Alabama on defense with three interceptions. Miami commit Cameron Pruitt from Theodore had 10 tackles, including two for a loss, and Ramsay’s Quinton Reese — an Alabama commit since September — chipped in eight stops.

Dre Kirkpatrick with his 3rd INT of the game for Alabama pic.twitter.com/IOnqXs9JJj

— Tyler Cleveland (@TylerCleveland) December 16, 2023

The score was closer than it probably should have been after five Mississippi turnovers and a blocked punt that might as well count as a sixth.

Neither Mississippi quarterback found consistent success against a stout defense. Starkville’s Trey Petty and Oak Grove Star A.J. Maddox combined to complete 21 of 34 pass attempts for 220 yards and a touchdown.

Maddox, who led Oak Grove to a 7A State Championship in Oxford earlier this month before decommitting from Texas A&M, announced a new commitment to Ole Miss via Instagram following the game.

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Petty’s teammate Stonka Burnside, another uncommitted four-star prospect, had 11 catches for 108 yards.

Burnside decommitted from Mississippi State back on Nov. 6, and remains uncommitted headed into Wednesday’s early signing period.

Ole Miss commit Kamarion Franklin out of Lake Cormorant had five tackles and two sacks. LSU commit P.J. Woodland had five tackles, including one for a loss.

Photos by Austin Frayser

2023 Mississippi/Alabama All-Star Game

The Alabama All-Stars beat their Mississippi counterparts 26-17 on Dec. 16 at M.M. Roberts Stadium in Hattiesburg, Miss.