Mykel Williams
Georgia Bulldogs – No. 13 | |
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Position | Defensive end |
Class | Junior |
Personal information | |
Born: | June 29, 2004 |
Height | 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) |
Weight | 265 lb (120 kg) |
Career history | |
College |
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Bowl games | |
High school | Hardaway (Columbus, Georgia) |
Career highlights and awards | |
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Mykel DeAnthony Williams (born June 29, 2004) is an American football defensive end for the Georgia Bulldogs. He won a national championship in 2022.
Early years[edit]
Williams attended Hardaway High School in Columbus, Georgia. After his senior season, he was named the Maxwell Football National High School Defensive Player of the Year.[1]
Recruiting[edit]
Williams "received national attention" early in his high school football career.[2] He was ranked by 247Sports as the No. 4 recruit in college football's class of 2022.[3] 247Sports compared Williams to Rashan Gary, citing his "outstanding frame" and "elite length."[4] He has also been compared to Travon Walker,[2] Nolan Smith calling Williams the spitting image of Walker.[5] Rivals.com rated him as the No. 8 recruit in the nation.[6] ESPN rated him at No. 23 in its 2022 ESPN 300.[7]
College career[edit]
Williams initially committed to USC, but flipped to Georgia in October 2021.[8][9] He was the highest-rated recruit signed by defending national champion Georgia in the 2022 recruiting cycle.[10] In July 2022, Georgia head coach Kirby Smart said of Williams: "The number one thing that stands out about Mykel is his work ethic. . . . I'm excited for him. . . . He's a great young man."[10]
As a true freshman in 2022, CBS Sports rated him as a "freshman to watch",[11] and ESPN rated him as a preseason true freshman All-American.[12] He played in Georgia's 2022 season opener against No. 11 Oregon and registered two quarterback hurries.[13] At the end of the season, he was named to Pro Football Focus's PFF True Freshman All-America team.[14]
References[edit]
- ^ "Mykel Williams Honored As Nation's Top Defender". SI.com. January 20, 2022.
- ^ a b Evan Cromwell (May 18, 2022). "Mykel Williams Touted As Next Big Thing In Athens". SI.com.
- ^ "2022 Top Football Recruits". 247Sports. Retrieved September 7, 2022.
- ^ "Mykel Williams". 247Sports. Retrieved September 7, 2022.
- ^ "Nolan Smith Compares Mykel Williams to Travon Walker". SI.com. August 29, 2022.
- ^ "Mykel Williams". Rivals.com. Retrieved September 7, 2022.
- ^ "2022 ESPN 300". ESPN. Retrieved September 7, 2022.
- ^ "5-Star DL Prospect Mykel Williams Flips Commitment from USC to Georgia". Bleacher Report. October 20, 2021.
- ^ Tom VanHaaren (October 20, 2021). "DE Mykel Williams, No. 50 prospect in Class of 2022, flips commitment from USC to Georgia". ESPN.
- ^ a b "Kirby Smart is "Excited" about Freshman Mykel Williams". SI.com. July 21, 2022.
- ^ "Mykel Williams is a true freshman to watch out for in 2022". CBS Sports. Retrieved September 7, 2022.
- ^ Jordan D. Hill (August 18, 2022). "Mykel Williams named Preseason True Freshman All-American by ESPN". ESPN.
- ^ "Why Mykel Williams started in his first career Georgia football game: 'He's going to be very good'". DawgNation. Retrieved September 7, 2022.
- ^ "Haulcy Named PFF True Freshman All-America". Pro Football Focus. November 29, 2022.