Georgia Star Mykel Williams: 'Would Be Great to Play for Atlanta Falcons'

The Atlanta Falcons need pass rushing help in the 2025 NFL draft, and the Georgia Bulldogs may have an answer.

Georgia defensive lineman Mykel Williams is a candidate to be drafted by the Atlanta Falcons at No. 15 overall. / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Atlanta Falcons general manager Terry Fontenot said at the NFL combine he wants his team's defensive line to be big and physical. He may not have to look far to find a first-round pick who fits the bill.

Georgia defensive end Mykel Williams, a 6'5", 260-pounder with 34 3/8-inch arms, is ranked among the top pass rushers in the 2025 draft class. Twice a second-team All-SEC selection, Williams finished his career in Athens with 14 sacks and 23 tackles for loss across 40 games.

While his production may not stand out, Williams has the size, length and athleticism to appeal to NFL decision makers -- especially those like Fontenot who are searching for a long-term answer at pass rusher.

The Falcons have met with Williams during the pre-draft process, and the Columbus, Ga., native spoke highly of the chance to play for Atlanta at the next level.

"Man, it would be nice," Williams said March 12 at Georgia's pro day. "It would be a blessing to be back home in the state of Georgia. It would be great to play for the Atlanta Falcons."

Williams said he grew up a fan of the Seattle Seahawks, though he also liked Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton. There's a chance Williams ends up playing in Carolina, which owns the No. 8 overall pick and needs to add pieces to its defensive front.

But if Williams slides down the board, he would likely be the best available defensive end when the Falcons are on the clock. He already feels he has a strong relationship with Fontenot and head coach Raheem Morris, each of whom were present at the Bulldogs' pro day.

"Love the GM, love the head coach," Williams said.

Williams suffered a Grade 2 left ankle sprain in the season opener against Clemson on Aug. 31 but played through it the remainder of the year. He finished 2024 with five sacks and 8.5 tackles for loss to go along with 26 pressures.

As such, Williams, who turns 21 in June, feels there's more to his profile than the numbers suggest, and NFL scouts are fond of his skill set.

"Talking to scouts, they really like my position versatility and how I'm able to get jobs done from different alignments," Williams said. "They also like how physical I am at the point of attack."

Morris and first-year defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich have emphasized the need for Atlanta's defense to be multiple in 2025. Such a plan requires the Falcons to have versatile pieces, a box Williams checks.

There are, however, drawbacks. Atlanta finished second-to-last in the NFL with 31 sacks in 2024, and Fontenot, Morris and Ulbrich strongly said they want to improve in that aspect this fall.

Williams has a projectable frame and profile, but he's searching for consistency -- and he acknowledged pass rushing is the biggest area he can improve in his game.

"Things I can work on: I'd say my pass rush ability," Williams said. "I can get pressure, but I want to see more sacks."

The Falcons want to see the same -- regardless of whether it's from Williams or another source of pass rush productivity.

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