Georgia sophomore Mykel Williams is ready to take the next step in 2023 and set the edge on defense.

The sophomore edge rusher has seen his stock rise on a Bulldogs’ defensive line that lacks a true star. Georgia is deep up front, but there is not a household name like the last few years with Jordan Davis, Travon Walker, Nolan Smith or Jalen Carter on the roster.

Williams can be the next great Georgia pass rusher and make a name for himself this year.

During his freshman campaign, he racked up 28 tackles, three sacks, 6.5 tackles for loss and a team-high 31 quarterback pressures. Williams feels like he can do better in his sophomore year.

He spoke to the media for the first time Wednesday and talked about where he’s grown the most.

"I feel like I've grown the most in my anticipation of plays,” Williams said. “The way coach [Tray] Scott teaches us and develops us, you know what is going on before the ball is snapped.”

Williams, a Columbus, Georgia native, was looking forward to developing his game this past spring, but a foot injury in late March kept him sidelined. He missed the annual G-Day scrimmage because of the injury. However, Williams has since fully recovered and just finished up fall camp with the Bulldogs.

Williams said onTuesday he feels a lot better and is ready to go for Georgia’s season opener on Sept. 2.

“It was hard to deal with at first but I realized it was the best thing for me,” Williams said of his injury in the spring. “I’ve been progressing along. … I wouldn’t say that it held me back and slowed me down, but since I’ve been progressing back, I feel like I am getting into the flow of things.”

While he was injured, Williams learned a lot more about Georgia’s offense and helped in the defensive line room by breaking down film.

Williams feels like he knows an offense’s tendencies better after studying them so much. He can read what an opposing offense is doing pre-snap and he can make the necessary defensive changes.

“I’ve just been taking notes, watching and learning tendencies. Talking with the [offensive line] coaches, really,” Williams said. “… I can hear a call that the [offensive line] is making and I know which way they are moving. It's like the anticipation in my game has gotten whole a lot better."

Williams is a former five-star recruit from Hardaway High School in Columbus. Initially, the once No. 8-ranked prospect nationally was committed to USC, but flipped to the Bulldogs and signed.

Williams was brought in by head coach Kirby Smart and position coach Scott. Going back to his recruitment, he’s developed a tight relationship with Scott, who has been on staff since 2017.

The 6-foot-5, 265-pound edge rusher smiled when asked about what he likes the most about Scott.

“How he teaches, how he develops,” Scott answered with a grin. “To me, he’s the best in America. There’s no question. For any drill we do, he can show you film from 10 years ago. He’s got film on everything. It’s how he teaches, how he breaks the game down, it makes it slower for you.”

Williams also has a close bond with his teammates, especially in the defensive line room. The position features veterans such as Nazir Stackhouse, Warren Brinson, Tramel Walthour and Zion Logue.

Smart shared concerns last Saturday about the defensive line’s depth, but Williams believes they can succeed.

“I love our room. I feel like we have the talent to be one of the best if not the best in America,” Williams said. “I just can’t wait to showcase.”

As highly as Williams speaks and thinks of Georgia his coaches and teammates, they do the same.

Stackhouse spoke to reporters in the spring about Williams’ work ethic and the impact he has on defense.

" Mykel definitely showed a lot of talent when it comes to helping us out,” Stackhouse said. “Obviously, you saw that last season. Him just showing us that, that was just giving us clues that in the future he's going to be a great, dominant player when it comes to playing at defensive end.”

Smart would agree with Stackhouse’s sentiment about Williams. During an interview at SEC Media Days in Atlanta, Smart recalled a story about Williams’ work ethic that left him impressed.

“The No. 1 thing that stands out about him is his work ethic,” Smart said. “I look out my window and I see him out there doing extra after every practice. I left work the other day on a Sunday, and he’s out there hitting a sled on Sunday. When you have a freshman that’s out there on Sunday on his own, on turf, 115 degrees out there, and he’s striking a sled, that’s someone special.”