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Top 20 NFL Draft Prospects: Mykel Williams

Originally posted on The Forkball | By Wilson Ekele | Last updated Apr 21, 2025 6:04 PM ET

With the NFL draft less than a week away, some of the draft prospects have managed to retain the interest of several teams. Mykel Williams is one of those players. He’s one of the incredible athletes out of Georgia—and he has all the potential to become one of the greatest at the next level. Explosive. Perfect frame. Excellent use of length. That’s what this guy is about. There’s hardly any question about him getting picked in the first round.

In this article, we’ll dive into the youngster’s background, college career, and scouting report, highlighting what has made his draft stock this high.

Background

Williams was born in 2004 in Warm Springs, Georgia. He attended Hardaway High School in Columbus, Georgia where he was named Maxwell Football National High School Defensive Player of the Year. A five-star prospect coming out of high school, 247Sports rated him as the fourth-best recruit of his class. Williams initially committed to USC but later flipped to Georgia.

Collegiate Accolades

Williams is a guy that always puts in the work. In just his freshman season, he had started to reap the benefits. He was named a Freshman All-American and earned a spot on the SEC All-Freshman Team. He contributed his quota in helping the Bulldogs secure the national championship, leading the team with 4.5 sacks. In his sophomore season, he was named Second-team All-SEC. Williams earned another Second-team All-SEC honors in his junior year and tied for the team lead with two forced fumbles. Throughout his college career, more than 30 percent of his tackles resulted in a loss.

Scouting Report Summary

Williams is a high-upside defender with the kind of physical tools coaches dream of. He’s long, explosive, and plays with a level of urgency that makes him a constant presence in the backfield. What sets him apart is his rare combination of length and quickness. He can shoot out of his stance and close down plays in a flash—whether he’s chasing from the backside or crashing the pocket off the edge. His long arms are always working. He puts them to good use, engaging blockers early and keeping them at the end of his punch.

Williams has a bull rush that can collapse the pocket and flashes a step-and-swipe move that’s already giving tackles problems. He’s not just fast—he knows how to turn that speed into power, especially when given space to build up from wide alignments. While he’s still developing as a technician, especially with hand usage and counters, the tools are all there. He’ll need to get stronger at the point of attack and work on staying lower through contact, but his upside as a base end in a 4-3 front is through the roof. He is definitely not a finished product but the flashes he shows make it hard not to believe in what he’s becoming.

Strengths

Massive frame and length: Has outstanding size and long arms, giving him the reach and raw power to disrupt plays in both the run and pass game.

Surprising speed and flexibility: Shows flashes of quickness and bend that are rare for someone his size.

Natural positional versatility: Thanks to his athletic build and physical tools, he can line up in multiple spots across the line and still win reps.

Weaknesses

Slow to win in isolated matchups: Struggles to consistently beat his man off the snap in one-on-one situations, limiting immediate pressure.

Hands lack impact: While he’s active with his hands, they’re not consistently disruptive or refined enough to shed blocks cleanly.

Strong but not overpowering: Plays with solid strength, but raw power doesn’t define his game yet. He’ll need to build that edge to dominate at the next level.