Mykel Williams – Syndication Server

UGA’s Mykel Williams, Carson Beck first-two overall picks in 2025 NFL mock draft

NFL analyst projects Mykel Williams and Carson Beck to come off the board first in 2025 NFL draft…

Georgia football sent eight players through the 2024 NFL draft over the weekend, the lowest number of Bulldogs taken since 2021 (9).

Considering the returning talent UGA possesses on its 2024 roster, the 2025 NFL draft is shaping up to possibly contend with Georgia’s own draft record of 15 selections in 2022. More than 20 players will have the opportunity to declare, including underclassmen headed into their third season of eligibility.

Although its very early, one of the most intriguing 2025 NFL mock drafts comes from The Athletic’s Dane Brugler. He has Georgia edge defender Mykel Williams as the No. 1 overall pick to the Carolina Panthers, followed by Bulldogs quarterback Carson Beck at No. 2 overall to the Tennessee Titans.

Brugler writes of Williams:

“At this time last year, it was easy to put together the top of my mock, with stars like Caleb Williams and Marvin Harrison Jr. But the 2025 draft class doesn’t have that type of established star power, leaving the No. 1 pick wide-open.

A toolsy prospect, Williams’ 2023 tape doesn’t show consistency, but there are high highs, including what he did in the bowl game against Florida State.”

Brugler writes of Beck:

“If the Titans are drafting this high next April, the organization might be re-examining its quarterback situation.

In his first year as a starter, Beck got consistently better with each performance and put some beautiful throws on tape. He enters the season as the quarterback scouts like the most.”

It’s not crazy to think that Williams and Beck will hear their names called early next spring. However, it would be surprising for Georgia to produce the first two picks of the seven-round event.

Jacksonville Jaguars defensive end Travon Walker is the last No. 1 overall pick to come out of Athens (2022). The Dawgs have never had the first two overall picks.

Additionally, Brugler has Georgia safety Malaki Starks going No. 12 to the Indianapolis Colts and offensive tackle Earnest Greene II taken by the Cleveland Browns at pick No. 16.

Georgia produced five first-round picks in 2022. We could see a similar mark in the 2025 NFL draft.

Four Bulldogs players selected in USA TODAY 2025 mock draft

Multiple Georgia Bulldogs players are expected to come off the board in 2025 a way-too-early NFL mock draft

As NFL draft season has reached its conclusion, various outlets have begun publishing way to early mock drafts for next year. Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz of USA TODAY recently published an early model of what next year could look like, including four Georgia players going in round one.

First off the board for the Dawgs was quarterback Carson Beck, projected to go first overall to the New York Giants. Beck had a great season for the Dawgs a year ago and seems poised to take the next step this year en route to possibly placing himself atop a class that should also feature Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders and Texas‘ Quinn Ewers.

Next off the board are back to back picks from UGA in safety Malaki Starks at No. 14 to the Colts and edge rusher Mykel Williams at No. 15 to the Jaguars. Starks is widely seen as the best safety in the country heading into this season while Williams is seeking to have a breakout season as he transitions fully to the edge rusher role for Georgia.

The final Bulldog off the board is left tackle Earnest Greene, projected to go 25th overall to the Cleveland Browns. Greene is in his second year as a full-time starter and seeking to follow in the footsteps of Andrew Thomas and Amarius Mims in being selected in the opening round.

Kirby Smart provides injury update on DE Mykel Williams

Georgia defensive end Mykel Williams surprisingly missed the UGA versus UAB football game.

The Georgia Bulldogs defeated the UAB Blazers without All-SEC pass rusher Mykel Williams. Williams was a late addition to Georgia’s injury report with an illness.

Georgia prevailed 49-21 over UAB. The Georgia defense was a little bit more porous than expected against the Blazers. The Bulldogs recorded just one sack against UAB and certainly miss Mykel Williams. Additionally, Georgia was without All-SEC safety Javon Bullard, who is one of the leaders of the Bulldog defense.

Mykel Williams is Georgia’s best pass rusher. The Bulldogs have an inexperienced group of outside linebackers, so they need production out of Williams.

Georgia head coach Kirby Smart updated Williams’ status and why he missed the UAB game.

He’s sick. We hope to get him back next week. I hate it but he’s a really good player. We expect him to be back next week.

Georgia’s next game will be Sept. 30 on the road against the Auburn Tigers. The Bulldogs are hoping Mykel Williams can return for the Auburn game.

Georgia DE Mykel Williams praises UGA OL: ‘Our o-line is the best in the country’

“I feel like we’re not going to play nobody as good as our o-line.”

There are plenty of questions surrounding Georgia’s quest for a third consecutive national championship, but the offensive line isn’t one of them.

The Bulldogs return the bulk of last year’s group in center Sedrick Van Pran, left guard Xavier Truss and right guard Tate Ratledge. Junior Amarius Mims and redshirt freshman Earnest Greene are expected to fill in open spots at tackle after the departure of Broderick Jones and Warren McClendon to the NFL.

Sophomore defensive end Mykel Williams shared his take on Georgia’s offensive line as the Bulldogs prepare for their season opener versus UT Martin on Sept. 2.

“We’ve got the best o-line in the country, so it’s always the best work,” defensive lineman Mykel Williams said. “I feel like we’re not going to play nobody as good as our o-line — well, I ain’t going to say that. Sorry. But I feel like our o-line is the best in the country.”

Mims has garnered offseason hype as one of the top NFL draft eligible prospects in the country even with only two starts under his belt.

Greene is a former four-star recruit who has earned first-team practice reps this offseason.

[lawrence-auto-related count=5]

UGA football DE named top returning sophomore at his position

Georgia Bulldogs defensive end Mykel Williams, who is out for the spring, has been named as the top returning sophomore at his position.

Georgia Bulldogs defensive end Mykel Williams has been named as the top returning sophomore at his position. Williams is currently injured and not able to participate in spring practice due to a foot injury.

Williams hopes to return to full strength this fall in time for Georgia’s season opener on Tennessee-Martin on Sept. 2. Georgia football is coming off winning back-to-back national championships.

Mykel Williams, a former five-star recruit, helped put pressure on opposing quarterbacks in his true freshman season with the Dawgs. In 2022, Williams recorded 4.5 sacks and 28 total tackles.

Williams is expected to be Georgia’s top pass rusher for the 2023 college football season. The Bulldogs are currently thin at the edge position due to a number of injuries. However, Georgia has a lot of talent at outside linebacker and defensive end.

Mykel Williams came on strong at the end of the 2022 season. He finished the College Football Playoff with seven total tackles and 2.0 sacks across two games.

Bleacher Report considers Mykel Williams to be the top returning sophomore defensive end ahead of Wyoming’s Braden Siders. It notes that, like most Georgia defenders, Williams is no slouch at defending the run.

Per Pro Football Focus, his run-defense grade of 75.9 was first among freshman defensive ends. The outlet also ranks Williams as the fifth-best returning edge defender in the nation for 2023.

Mykel Williams has a lot of potential for improvement despite his outstanding freshman season. Williams could be a first round draft pick in the 2025 NFL draft if he keeps up his strong play.

[lawrence-auto-related count=5]

[mm-video type=playlist id=01eqbz2y40j067srkf player_id=01eqbvp13nn1gy6hd4 image=]

Georgia DE Mykel Williams out for rest of spring practice

Williams underwent minor foot surgery and will miss the remainder of spring practice…

Georgia edge defender Mykel Williams has reportedly underwent minor foot surgery and will miss the remainder of spring practice.

Williams led the Bulldogs in sacks (4.5) and quarterback hurries (31) as a freshman in 2022. The former five-star prospect is expected to have a starting role in 2023 following the departure of edge defenders Nolan Smith and Robert Beal Jr. to the NFL.

Injuries have piled up among multiple Georgia starters so far this spring. Running back Kendall Milton will miss the remainder of the spring with a hamstring injury and Daijun Edwards, the Bulldogs leading returning rusher, is dealing with an undisclosed injury.

True freshman tight end Pearce Spurlin will also miss the spring due to a broken collarbone.

Georgia’s Mykel Williams ranked at the top of returning edge rushers

Mykel Williams getting much deserved offseason hype…

Georgia edge rusher Mykel Willams burst on to the scene in his freshman season in 2022.

The former four-star recruit led the Bulldogs in both sacks (4.5) and quarterback hurries (31), while helping UGA to its second consecutive national title.

It’s worth noting that Williams started just two games in the regular season.

Pro Football Focus (PFF) rated Williams as the No. 5 returning edge defender for the 2023 season.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CofIWZCuNXp/

Williams seemed to grow stronger as his freshman season progressed. The Columbus, Ga., native recorded a sack and a tackle for loss in the Georgia’s Peach Bowl win over Ohio State and continued to impress in the national championship win over TCU with a sack and a tackle for loss.

Williams is in line for a starting role in 2023 with upperclassmen Robert Beal Jr. and Nolan Smith’s departure to the NFL.

[mm-video type=playlist id=01eqbz2y40j067srkf player_id=01eqbvp13nn1gy6hd4 image=]

UGA OLB Nolan Smith praises 5-star Georgia freshman Mykel Williams

“He’s a spitting image of Travon Walker.”

Georgia senior outside linebacker Nolan Smith is one of the nation’s top rated pass rushers headed into the 2022 season.

A special talent of his own, he’s also played alongside some of the greatest to ever do it at UGA during the Bulldogs’ 2021 national title run. He’s no stranger to elite talent.

So when a guy like that give high praise to a true freshman, it means a little something extra. And that’s what happened this week when Smith raved about 5-star freshman pass rusher Mykel Williams, referring to him as a “spitting image of Travon Walker,” the former UGA defensive end who was the No. 1 overall pick in this year’s draft.

“He’s going to play the role of, I think, Travon Walker just to me just from seeing him, and he’s a spitting image of Travon Walker. I tell people that all the time,” Smith said when asked about whether Williams would be a stand-up pass rusher or a traditional hand-in-the-ground defensive end.

“His arms are long, he moves just as fast and he’s a great athlete. So I think, as far as people worrying about him doing both [playing defensive end and outside linebacker], I think that’s what he likes to do. He can play linebacker or stand up, and he can play also hand down.”

Williams enrolled early at Georgia in January as a five-star recruit in the class of 2022 out of Hardaway High School in Columbus, Georgia. He ranked as the nation’s No. 4 overall player, per 247Sports.

ESPN names one UGA player to true freshman All-America team

What Georgia Bulldog made ESPN’s true freshman All-America team?

The Georgia Bulldogs are looking to repeat. Georgia will need some new players to step up after winning the national championship. The Dawgs lost a record-breaking 15 players to the 2022 NFL draft.

Georgia lost defensive end Travon Walker, defensive tackles Jordan Davis and Devonte Wyatt to the first round of the draft. Additionally, safety Lewis Cine and linebacker Quay Walker went in the first round.

Georgia has to replace a lot of talent in the front seven, but the Bulldogs do return a lot of experience in the secondary. Safety Christopher Smith, safety Dan Jackson, and national championship hero Kelee Ringo all return for the 2022 college football season.

The Georgia Bulldogs return significant experience in the secondary. Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports

Who will step up in Georgia’s front seven? ESPN thinks that true freshman defensive end Mykel Williams will make an immediate impact.

In fact, ESPN puts Mykel Williams on its true freshman All-America team. Tom VanHaaren and Tom Luginbill project Williams, who was one of the highest ranked recruits in the country, to help fill the void left by players like Travon Walker and Devonte Wyatt.

Kirby Smart and Georgia will need many more players to step up. The Bulldogs lost three starting linebackers. The Dawgs also are looking for someone to fill Jordan Davis’ role as a run-stuffing defensive tackle.

[mm-video type=playlist id=01eqbz2y40j067srkf player_id=none image=https://ugawire.usatoday.com/wp-content/plugins/mm-video/images/playlist-icon.png]

[lawrence-auto-related count=4]

Georgia TE describes 5-star early enrollee DE: ‘He’s a special player’

Georgia’s John Fitzpatrick had great things to say about 2022 5-star signee Mykel Williams…

Georgia football signed the the No. 3 recruiting class in the nation in the 2022 cycle, which included five five-star recruits.

One of those highly touted five-star prospects is early enrollee Mykel Williams.

The 2022 Maxwell Football Club Defensive National High School Player of the Year was rated as one of the top pass rushers in the class and is already making a name for himself in the locker room.

In an interview on ‘UGA Football Live with J.C. Shelton’, NFL-bound UGA tight end John Fitzpatrick described William’s after blocking him in practice while preparing for the College Football Playoff.

“He’s a special player…Looks super similar to Travon Walker.”

Fiztpatrick knows what he’s talking about as one of the SEC’s best inline blockers throughout his career. Travon Walker and Fitzpatrick both signed as members of the 2018 class and went up against each other in practices for the last four years.

That says a good deal about how talented Williams truly is as Walker is projected as a top-10 NFL draft pick after an incredible combine performance.

Williams finished his senior season with 81 tackles, 20.5 stops for losses and 12.5 sacks.

Here’s a little taste of what Williams could bring to Athens in the next few seasons:

You can listen to the rest of the conversation with Fitzpatrick here: