Days before he was set to arrive at Alabama late last month, Xavier Williams expressed some curiosity about the championship program he was about to join.

"They say it's pretty intense," he said. "I don't really know what to expect."

But the 6-foot-1, 190-pound Williams seemed to be playing coy.

After all, all he had to do was confer with Jerry Jeudy and Calvin Ridley to get the low-down. Williams had bonded with the Alabama receivers, who were from the same fertile recruiting ground -- South Florida -- where he developed into a four-star prospect and wowed his high school coach, Chaminade-Madonna Prep's Dameon Jones.

"He's a dynamic player," Jones said. "He is strong. He is a physical receiver."

He also knows what it takes to win. Chaminade-Madonna Prep is the reigning Class 3A Florida state champion, and Williams' six touchdowns as a senior helped put his team on top. His contributions also led schools from all over the SEC and beyond to chase Williams during the recruiting process.

But in Tuscaloosa he may still be hard-pressed to get on the field as a freshman. Despite the departure of Ridley, Alabama has no shortage of targets for Tua Tagovailoa and Jalen Hurts. Jeudy, DeVonta Smith and Henry Ruggs III are back. Sophomores Tyrell Shavers and Chadarius Townsend could also step to the fore after remaining pinned to the sidelines for the entirety of their freshman seasons. And then there is Jaylen Waddle -- the intriguing newcomer who is expected to develop into a force in the slot.

The competition will be fierce.

But Williams seems ready for it.

He spent the off-season polishing his routes and preparing mentally for the grind that comes with playing at Alabama.

"You're going to be with the best," he said. "I can't wait to win."

And recapture a feeling that is familiar to Williams.

Rainer Sabin is an Alabama beat writer for the Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @RainerSabin