Mykel Williams Needs to Live Up to His Potential

Evaluations like Georgia defensive end Mykel Williams are the toughest ones to do.

When I first turned on his film, wow. Williams looks awesome in football pads. I mean look at the picture. He’s like a statue ⎯chiseled out of stone.

He’s built like a Greek god.

Williams has all the desirable measurables teams who run a 4-3 defense (four down defensive linemen and three linebackers) will fall in love with in the pre-draft process.

Dominant-sized muscular frame

Long arms

He has everything it takes to be a “workout warrior,” a term in scouting used to describe prospects who will kill workouts in gym shorts.

Then the game tape comes on

Not a sack artist

This is partially why evaluations like this are difficult. His sack production doesn’t match his physical attributes.

In 2023:

• 4.5 sacks
• 26 pressures

He’s more of a pressure guy than a sack guy.

Why?

The main reason ⎯mediocre motor.

Every once in a while, Williams turns it on, and you say, “Wow.” He produces some “highlights.” Then, he goes back to being on snooze mode most of the time. This is why I like evaluating every rep a prospect participates in ⎯to see the big picture. Even when he does flash his speed, it’s often not enough to close the deal. That’s at the college level.

Williams gives up too easily at times and I chicken-scratched nine reps he was slow off the snap.

He plays in a rotation, so he should be rested. On a couple of misdirection plays, he was also noticeably slow to react, so it could be that he has slow reflexes too.

Can an NFL team win with him?

That’s what this comes down to, and the answer with Williams at this point is, no. I don’t care about guys who just have the measurables if it doesn’t show up enough on game film.

It’s not about the predraft workouts, it’s about what they do in the games.

Sure, a lot of these prospects don’t go 100% on every snap for whatever reason, but Williams dogs it too much for my tastes. Again, when he turns it on, yeah, but it’s unpredictable and it’s undependable.

If I had to put numbers to what I am trying to say, I’d say he goes all out 40% of the time and that’s being generous.

With these kinds of guys, the guys who can do it, but it doesn’t show up enough on the game film, the risk has to be mitigated. It has to be reflected in their grade.

Other draft platforms

The issues I’ve outlined haven’t stopped some mainstream draft platforms from putting a first-round top-15 grade on Williams in the 2025 NFL Draft.

• CBS (1)
• The Athletic (1)
• Barstool Sports (2)
• Draft Kings (4)
• Bleacher Report (5)
• Draftwire (8)
• SI (11)
• 33rd Team (12)
• USA Today (15)

I found myself trying to talk myself into a first-round grade because I like Williams a lot when he’s on, but I couldn’t do it.

#13 Mykel Williams 6-foot-5, 265 pounds

Daniel Kelly’s 2024 Fall Grade: Second Round (I wouldn’t select him)

Projected by 77.8% of the NFL Draft Community to be a first-round pick as of September 20, 2024 (nflmockdraftdatabase.com)

2023 game film evaluated: UT Martin, Ball State, South Carolina, Auburn, Kentucky, Florida, Missouri, Ole Miss, Tennessee, Georgia Tech, and FSU (click to view games watched to form this evaluation)

2025 NFL Draft Scouting Report

Versatile underachiever with great natural power and long arms. Moved around along the defensive line at tackle and end. Mostly plays with his hand in the dirt. Occasionally standing up. Brute strength. Alpha personality. Violent streak. Methodical. Elite natural athletic ability. Good bend and pocket adjust. Active hands. Often vanilla-looking pass rush attempts. Flashed swim move eight times, spin two times, head fake, and rip move one time each. Prefers throwing his weight around. His signature pass rush is the “X” stunt. Draws double teams. No burst. Good speed and acceleration up into the pocket. Inconsistent shedding blocks versus run. Hard wrapping form tackler. Ends up by the pile a lot.

What to watch for during the 2024 college football season

1. Sack and pressure production?

2. Motor?

3. Showing pass rush moves?

Daniel Kelly is a former NFL Scout with the New York Jets. He was hired on the regime which featured Bill Parcells, Bill Belichick, Scott Pioli, Mike Tannenbaum, and Dick Haley. He is currently the Editor-in-Chief for First Round Mock, and has written for Sports Illustrated (Lions, Jets, and 49ers), NFL Draft Diamonds, and Yardbarker, as well as a featured guest on ESPN Radio and Fox Sports Radio. For more information about him visit his website at whateverittakesbook.com. Follow on Twitter @firstroundmock.