BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — The comparison is an easy one to make. Take a look at Roydell Williams’ highlight reel and it isn’t difficult to see why people have likened him to former Alabama running back Josh Jacobs.

For starters, the Hueytown High School back stands in at 5-foot-9 1/2, 203 pounds, the same short, stocky build Jacobs used to help him bowl over defenders for the Crimson Tide. Like Jacobs, Williams has also lined up at receiver and wildcat quarterback and returns kicks for his high school team. Add in the fact that the senior is committed to Alabama, and the comparison seems inevitable.

“To be honest, I’ve seen a lot of running backs, and if we’re going to compare him to anybody, Jacobs is the closest one,” said Leonard Stephens, a former standout running back at Hueytown who now serves as Williams’ trainer. “We’re talking the way they are built and how hard they run, they really are similar.”