SEC star edged off Georgia defender to take the top spot in the 2025 NFL Draft rankings.
Written by Adam Patrick Updated August 29, 24
Georgia edge-rusher Mykel Williams is ranked No. 2 in ESPN’s preseason rankings of the top 25 prospects in the 2025 NFL Draft pool. Yates recently released his rankings.
Williams ended with 26 pressures, 18 tackles (6.5 for a loss), 6 sacks, and 2 pass deflections in 13 games with the Bulldogs the previous season. Yates, a 6-foot-5, 265-pound player, discussed how the young Georgia defender makes the most of his bulk.
“[Williams] mixes length and uncommon power. Williams can create havoc as a pass rusher by firing out of his stance, and his ability to set the edge and lock out offensive tackles helps limit the field width for the Georgia defense. He hasn’t been expected to pin his ears back and just rush as much because of Georgia’s depth and system, so it’s not shocking that he has nine career sacks through two seasons.”
Williams is about to start his third season with the Bulldogs, and it’s obvious that the school is counting on him to have a significant influence as it looks to capture its third national championship in the previous four years.
Williams still has a chance to be the first choice in the NFL Draft the following year, despite coming in second on Yates’ list. Of course, this will all rely on how well he plays for Georgia this season and which NFL team selects first overall in the 2025 selection.
Yates has Williams taken by the Washington Commanders with the fifth overall choice in his most recent 2025 NFL mock draft. Given the reputation of current Commanders head coach Dan Quinn on the defensive end of the ball during his NFL career, that would be an excellent landing point for the Bulldogs defender.
And who was the lone talent on Yates’ list higher than Williams? James Pearce Jr., a 20-year-old edge rusher who is starting his third season at the University of Tennessee, took that place instead.
Pearce recorded an astounding 47 pressures, 28 tackles (14.5 for a loss), 10 sacks, two forced fumbles, and one interception that he returned 52 yards the opposite way for a touchdown in Tennessee’s 13 games played last season.
If both Williams and Pearce decide to enter the 2025 NFL Draft, they will probably be compared to one another during the forthcoming collegiate season and the predraft process the following year.
This season, will Pearce continue to be the best defensive prospect in college football, or will Williams surpass his Tennessee rival in terms of pro prospects by stepping up his game?
