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.