Overview
Mykel Williams has been Georgia’s most disruptive defensive player for two seasons now, and he’s finally getting the national recognition his tape demands. At 6’5” with absurd length and explosive athleticism, Williams represents the prototype NFL teams dream about when they envision their franchise edge rusher.
Williams came to Georgia as a five-star recruit and was productive immediately, but his junior season has been a revelation. He’s put together the most dominant stretch of his career, routinely collapsing pockets and affecting quarterbacks even when he’s not recording sacks.
Strengths
The physical tools are genuinely rare. Williams has 35”+ arms that allow him to keep offensive tackles at bay while working through his rush moves. His first step is explosive—legitimate 4.5 speed at his size—and he converts that burst into power at contact.
His pass rush arsenal has grown each year. The ghost/dip move is his bread and butter, using that length to bend around the edge, but he’s added an effective inside counter that keeps tackles honest. When he gets his hands on you first, the rep is usually over.
Williams is a plus run defender who sets a firm edge and can stack blocks effectively. He doesn’t give ground easily and has the range to make plays from the backside. This isn’t a one-dimensional rusher.
Motor runs hot. Williams plays with consistent effort and doesn’t take snaps off, which is notable for someone with his draft stock who could coast on reputation.
Weaknesses
Hand usage can be inconsistent. He has the length to control blockers, but doesn’t always win the hand fight cleanly. Sometimes relies too much on pure athleticism rather than technique.
Can get overextended in his rush and lose the edge against patient tackles. When his first move doesn’t work, the secondary rush is still developing.
Pass rush counters need more development. NFL tackles will study his tendencies, and he’ll need a deeper bag of tricks to maintain his college production at the next level.
Bottom Line
Mykel Williams has the highest ceiling of any edge rusher in this class. The physical profile—length, explosiveness, power—is legitimately special and projects perfectly to the NFL prototype. Teams that covet edge rushers with scheme versatility and upside will fall in love with this prospect.
He’s not the most technically refined rusher, but the tools are so impressive that the floor is high and the ceiling is elite. In a league that pays premium prices for pass rushers, Williams is worth a top-five investment.