Alabama WR Jameson Williams to Have MRI After Suffering Knee Injury in CFP Title Game

Alabama wide receiver Jameson Williams will undergo an MRI after leaving Monday night's College Football Playoff National Championship Game with a non-contact knee injury.

"We won't know the extent of the knee injury until we get an MRI," Alabama head coach Nick Saban told reporters after his team's 33-18 loss to Georgia.

Saban added Williams wanted to try to play through the injury but the team's medical staff held him out.

"I think it was smart because he has a future as a football player," Saban said.

Williams suffered the injury in the second quarter while running a deep route down the middle of the field. He made the catch but went to the ground after it appeared he tried to make a cut and was tackled by Georgia's Derion Kendrick.

After going to the medical tent to the sideline, he was able to walk to the locker room under his own power.

He was later ruled out for the remainder of the game.

The fear anytime a player suffers a non-contact knee injury is that it will be a torn ACL, especially for a player with an NFL future like Williams.

It's a huge loss for an Alabama team already without star wideout John Metchie III, who tore his ACL in the Crimson Tide's 41-24 win over the Bulldogs SEC Championship Game.

The duo of Williams and Metchie is one of the best in college football. Williams caught 75 passes for 1,507 yards with 15 touchdowns this season, while Metchie added 96 catches for 1,142 yards and eight scores.

Both players are first-round NFL talents. ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. listed Williams as his No. 6 overall prospect in the 2022 draft and top wideout, noting that he can "take the top off the defense with his speed, and he has shown that he can track the ball and adjust while it's in the air," while he had Metchie outside of his top 25 but listed him as the No. 8 receiver in the class.

With both players out for the second half, that left Slade Bolden, Traeshon Holden and Agiye Hall as Alabama's top options at wideout.

"We've got other players who have opportunity," Alabama head coach Nick Saban said on ESPN at halftime of the CFP title game regarding Williams' injury. "They're young but have talent. They're capable. Don't have the experience but they're going to get it tonight."