2 min read • April 22, 2025
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Georgia edge rusher Mykel Williams entered the 2024 season as a projected top-10 pick and one of the most physically imposing defenders in college football. But a lingering Grade 2 left ankle sprain, suffered in the season opener, has cast doubt over his NFL Draft trajectory.
Williams recently revealed that he played the entire 2024 season at “less than 60%,” never fully recovering from the injury. “I was injured the whole year, never healthy,” he said. “I was messed up pretty bad. It was extremely frustrating [with people] not knowing the full story.”
The injury forced Williams to miss practice until mid-October and continued to hamper him throughout the season. Despite appearing in 12 games, the 6-foot-5, 260-pound edge rusher was clearly limited. Still, he managed to post 24 tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss, 5 sacks, 5 run stops, 21 quarterback pressures, and 2 forced fumbles.
Williams opted not to work out at the NFL Combine, and at Georgia’s Pro Day, he posted an unofficial 4.74 in the 40-yard dash which is solid, but not the elite time many expected from a former top recruit. Once viewed as a surefire first-rounder, his draft stock has taken a noticeable dip.
In February, Williams told reporters, “This is the healthiest I’ve been all year.” Yet questions remain. His injury isn’t new information, but the fact that he still hasn’t fully recovered nearly eight months after the initial sprain has raised eyebrows among NFL decision-makers.
Physically, Williams still checks all the boxes. With 34-inch arms and ideal edge rusher traits, he’s built to disrupt both the run and the pass at the next level. But NFL teams are weighing short-term availability against long-term durability, and in Williams’ case, that could mean sliding down the board on draft day.
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