Already the state championship MVP of the undefeated Gulf Shores Dolphins, Ronnie Royal added one more major accomplishment to his standout senior season.

During Tuesday’s Alabama Sports Writers Association banquet, Royal was announced as the Class 5A Back of the Year as the top skill player from 2023 after he helped Gulf Shores to its first state title in program history. He was selected as the winner over Cam Phinizee from Russellville and Clarance Taylor from Pleasant Grove.

Foley’s Perry Thompson (Class 7A Back) and Spanish Fort’s Sterling Dixon (Class 6A Lineman) were other local finalists for players of the year recognized at Tuesday’s banquet. The pair will see each other next on either side of the Iron Bowl rivalry with Thompson heading to Auburn and Dixon as an early-enrollee at Alabama.

If it wasn’t the viral, one-handed interception in the state finals that won over ASWA voters, it might have been Royal’s eye-popping stats from all over the field.

Offensively, he racked up 1,579 total yards between 1,069 rushing yards on 151 carries with 17 touchdowns, 473 receiving yards on 34 catches with 1 touchdown and a 37-yard touchdown pass. Defensively, he totaled 55 tackles with 9 for a loss, 2 sacks for 25 yards lost and 2 forced fumbles on top of 12 pass breakups and 5 interceptions for 154 return yards with 2 touchdowns.

However, his greatest impact may have been on special teams where he collected 1,019 total kick return yards which ranked fourth in the nation on MaxPreps’ standings. Royal returned 14 kickoffs for 411 return yards and 2 touchdowns as well as returned 28 punts for 608 return yards and 4 touchdowns. His 26 total touchdowns were 23rd on MaxPreps’ Alabama leaderboard.

Royal was one of six all-state Dolphins, which also set a program record, and helped mark the second straight season with multiple honorees. He played his final season for Gulf Shores as an NC State pledge and cemented his commitment in the early signing period.

Saraland’s Williams first to repeat as Mr. Football

Ryan Williams, a standout for the Saraland Spartans, became the first repeat winner of Alabama’s Mr. Football award but will miss out on the chance to be the state’s first three-time winner after he re-classified to graduate early.

Williams is fresh off his junior season of high school but announced he will move up to the Class of 2024 before the Alabama-Mississippi All-Star Classic in December. After initially decommitting from Alabama following Nick Saban’s retirement, Williams recommitted to the Crimson Tide last Wednesday, Jan. 24, and remained a five-star prospect.

The 6-foot-1, 175-pound Williams was also named Class 6A Back of the Year for the second straight year. He beat out Saraland quarterback and teammate K.J. Lacey and Clay-Chalkville quarterback/defensive back Jaylen Mbakwe, who earned MVP honors in the Class 6A finals.

Williams led Saraland to the 2022 Class 6A state title as a sophomore and to the 6A state finals last December – making 11 catches in the championship game at Bryant-Denny Stadium for a Super 7 state record 12 receptions for 232 yards and 2 touchdowns. In the 2022 Class 6A state finals, he earned MVP honors with 13 catches for 179 yards and 3 touchdowns and earned Mr. Football for the first time with 88 catches, 1,641 receiving yards and 24 TDs.

He finished the 2023 season with 71 receptions for 1,329 yards and 19 touchdowns, rushed for 269 yards, threw for 1 touchdown, and returned a punt and kickoff for touchdowns in 2023 as Saraland. The Spartans were 14-1 in each of the last two seasons. Williams also earned MVP honors as Alabama beat Mississippi last December in the Alabama-Mississippi All-Star Football Classic.

Other Players of the Year

BACKS OF THE YEAR

Class 7A – Cam Coleman, Central-Phenix City

Class 6A – Ryan Williams, Saraland High School

Class 5A – Ronnie Royal, Gulf Shores High School

Class 4A – Jacob Cornejo, Cherokee County High School

Class 3A – K.J. Jackson, Saint James School

Class 2A – Preston Lancaster, Tuscaloosa Academy

Class 1A – Alvin Henderson, Elba HS

AISA – Clayton Hussey, Lowndes Academy

LINEMEN OF THE YEAR

Class 7A – Bradley Shaw, Hoover High School

Class 6A – D.J. Barber, Clay-Chalkville High School

Class 5A – Q.B. Reese, Ramsay High School

Class 4A – Joseph Phillips, B.T. Washington HS, Tuskegee

Class 3A – Kentonio Kelly Jr., Mobile Christian

Class 2A – Tucker Wilks, Fyffe High School

Class 1A – Tim Parnell, Leroy High School

AISA – Jay Lindsey, Patrician Academy

ALL-TIME MR. FOOTBALL WINNERS

2023: Ryan Williams, Saraland (wide receiver)

2022: Ryan Williams, Saraland (wide receiver)

2021: Ryan Peppins, Thompson (wide receiver)

2020: Ga’Quincy McKinstry, Pinson Valley (defensive back/wide receiver)

2019: Kristian Story, Lanett (quarterback/defensive back)

2018: Bo Nix, Pinson Valley (quarterback)

2017: Asa Martin, Austin (running back)

2016: La’Damian Webb, Beauregard (running back)

2015: Tyler Johnston, Spanish Fort (quarterback)

2014: Kerryon Johnson, Madison Academy (running back/receiver)

2013: Roc Thomas, Oxford (running back)

2012: Jeremy Johnson, Carver-Montgomery (quarterback)

2011: T.J. Yeldon, Daphne (running back)

2010: Jamal Golden, Wetumpka (quarterback)

2009: Coty Blanchard, Cherokee County (quarterback)

2008: Clint Moseley, Leroy (quarterback)

2007: Julio Jones, Foley (wide receiver)

2006: Larry Smith, Prattville (quarterback)

2005: Andre Smith, Huffman (offensive guard)

2004: Jarod Bryant, Hoover (quarterback)

2003: Chris Nickson, Pike County (quarterback)

2002: JaMarcus Russell, Williamson (quarterback)

2001: Brandon Cox, Hewitt-Trussville (quarterback)

2000: Carnell Williams, Etowah (running back)

1999: Cory Whisenant, Springville (running back)

1998: DeMarco McNeil, Blount (defensive lineman)

1997: Mac Campbell, Alexandria (running back)

1996: Antoneyo Williams, Central-Tuscaloosa (running back)

1995: Gorman Thornton, Jeff Davis (tight end/defensive end)

1994: Dawud Rasheed, Shades Valley (running back)

1993: Thomas Banks, West Jefferson (running back)

1992: Freddie Kitchens, Etowah (quarterback)

1991: Robert Davis, Homewood (running back)

1990: David Palmer, Jackson-Olin (quarterback/wide receiver)

1989: Steve Coleman, Pike County (running back)

1988: Darrell Williams, Vigor (running back)

1987: Robert Jones, Parker (running back)

1986: Larry Ware, Lee-Montgomery (running back)

1985: Pierre Goode, Hazlewood (running back)

1984: Rod Green, Gardendale (wide receiver)

1983: Freddy Weygand, Emma Sansom (wide receiver)

1982: Tommy Compton, Vigor (quarterback)