FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. — Draft season has officially begun, which means the return of mock drafts.
Most are better viewed as a thought exercise as much as an actual prediction for what will happen when the NFL Draft kicks off on April 24. NFL media analyst Daniel Jeremiah is as informed as anyone when it comes to the draft landscape, though, and his latest mock should have the interest of Falcons fans.
In his mock draft 2.0, Jeremiah has Atlanta selecting University of Georgia edge rusher Mykel Williams. It’s a pairing that makes sense for multiple reasons.
At this point in the offseason, with free agency still to come, edge rusher is among the Falcons’ top needs. Key veterans such as Matthew Judon and Lorenzo Carter are set to hit the open market, and the team will need to add supporting talent around Arnold Ebiketie and Bralen Trice.
Williams is a player many in Atlanta are likely already familiar with given the large overlap between Falcons and Bulldogs fans. That faction has not been shy about their desire to see the team draft more Georgia players. With Williams and fellow-Georgia star Jalon Walker among the top defensive players in this year’s draft class, there’s a chance that desire could be sated.
Even without the Georgia connection, Williams has a lot to offer on the field. He was listed at No. 16 in Jeremiah’s initial ranking of the top 50 prospect in this year’s draft.
“He has a dynamic get-off and can win early from the edge or when he’s reduced inside,” Jeremiah wrote. “He has extremely long arms and blockers struggle to get to his chest. He has a nasty shake/bull move and he also flashes a violent swipe move to generate pressure. Against the run, he still found a way to set a physical edge even when he couldn’t put much weight on one leg because of his injury. His effort never wavered.”
Williams, who will be 21 years old as a rookie, played through an injury during the 2024 season. He still managed to earn five sacks and nine tackles for a loss, both of which were career bests for Williams at Georgia. In three seasons, he recorded 14 sacks, 23 tackles for a loss and three forced fumbles.
Perhaps more importantly, Williams played his best football in the Bulldogs’ biggest games. Five of his sacks and six of his tackles for a loss occurred in the SEC Championship game, the College Football Playoff or in a bowl game.
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