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Mykel Williams Prospect Preview
By Charlie Campbell
Career Recap:
Georgia has been a powerhouse in college football under head coach Kirby Smart, and Mykel Williams should maintain their tradition of top defensive line talent for the NFL. Williams has been behind some veterans on the depth chart, but he still managed to flash big-time potential in rotational duty. In 2022, as a freshman, he had 28 tackles and 4.5 sacks. Williams started 10 games in his sophomore season, recording 18 tackles, and led Georgia with 4.5 sacks. Williams played better than the numbers indicate, and the Bulldogs scheme is not conducive to defensive linemen producing big stat lines (see Travon Walker, Jalen Carter, Nolan Smith, Jordan Davis, etc.).
2024 Season Outlook::
Georgia will see a lot of top competition during the 2024 season, and Williams will take on some talented opponents. The best games to watch him include Clemson (Aug. 31), Alabama (Sep. 28), and Texas (Oct. 19).
Prospect Summary:
With his size and weight, Williams has just about prototype measurements to be a defensive end in the NFL. He is tall, long, strong, athletic, quick, and has adequate weight. Having some experience as an underclassman, Williams could take off as a junior in 2024.
As a pass rusher, Williams has the ability and upside to be a difference-maker in the NFL. He is a strong defensive lineman who can absolutely manhandle blockers. Williams features serious power that is very dangerous in combination with his length. With a heavy hands, Williams can jolt blockers off the ball and drive them straight backwards in the pocket. His long arms and strong upper body lead to him being able to shed blocks and rip himself free from offensive linemen. Williams features an effective swim move thanks to that strength and length, and once he gets free, he has the quickness to collapse the pocket in a hurry. Like other recent Georgia Bulldogs, Williams has a ton of untapped potential and could continue to improve for years to come.
In the ground game, Williams is generally stout. He can hold his gap and keep from getting pushed back off the line. With his strength to shed blocks, Williams can get free and flowing to the ball carrier. He gets in trouble when he stands up too high, so working on his leverage will be a point of emphasis for him as a pro run defender.
Williams should improve with more playing time. Georgia deploys a heavy rotation to keep its talented linemen fresh, but Williams could use the reps of a high-volume workload to continue to improve his craft. His vision needs to improve, as he will bite on play fakes and take some false steps on misdirection. These issues could be fixed with experience and coaching.
Williams has the size to play in a 4-3 or 3-4 defense and could become a special player at the NFL level.
2025 NFL Draft Expectations:
Entering the 2024 season, Williams looks like he has first-round potential for the 2025 NFL Draft.
RELATED LINKS:
NFL Picks - Oct. 30
2025 NFL Mock Draft - Oct. 30
NFL Power Rankings - Oct. 28
Fantasy Football Rankings - Sept. 4
