Scouting Profile: Mykel Williams - EDGE - Georgia
Sales Pitch: Long explosive defender with experience playing multiple fronts. Needs to improve his pass rush refinement to make good on his tools but has legit Top-10 traits.
*Gold Numbers Indicate NCAA T-25 for 2024*
Scouting Report
Mykel Williams is a former 4-Star recruit from the state of Georgia. He was a consistent contributor on some elite Bulldog defenses during his time in Athens, logging 5+ sacks and 25+ pressures in three straight campaigns. Despite being mostly a rotation player he was a two time Coaches All-SEC 2nd Team player in 2023 and 2024.
Williams is a long explosive athlete. Similar to many Georgia EDGE defenders before him, he possesses ideal physical traits for the position. He is a strong run defender with the anchor strength to take on blockers and hold his ground at the point of attack. He plays with toughness and aggression when asked to take on pullers trying to kick him out on the edge. He plays with excellent motor as a backside defender as well. Williams long arms and strong hands allow him to control reps versus offensive lineman, making him a fit in both single and two gap systems. He has experience playing 5T in even fronts and 4i in odd fronts, holding up well on the interior despite a smaller frame for a B-gap defender. Williams primarily relies on his physical attributes to win as a pass rusher. He is at his best using speed to power or a long arm move to collapse pockets. His impressive wing span allows him to get first contact on most reps and his heavy hands pack quite a punch. Williams shows the burst to beat both guards and tackles quickly past their upfield shoulder with the ability to cross their face when they overset. His lateral movement skills make him a capable looper on twists and twist, as well as allowing him to be a functional flat drop defender when asked.
Williams relies heavily on his athletic gifts at this point in his career, requiring a fair amount of polish as a pass rusher. He lacks much of a pass rush plan with inconsistent hand placement makes his pass rush impact fluctuate greatly. When his rush moves hit he is a terror off the edge, but still has yet to prove he can win on a consistent basis. Williams plays with good effort but his lack of control can hurt him. He will often lose contain as a rusher and must work on his rush lane integrity. He can also overrun ball carriers in space, struggling to keep his tall frame low and balanced versus quicker players.
Williams projects best as a 5T in an even front but has the versatility to play 4i or OLB in a odd front as well. His tape and production profile as a late first round pick but given his tremendous physical tools at only 20 years old it would not be a shock to hear his name called in the Top-15.