DALLAS – In this modern-day era of college, the more numbers you post and the success you enjoy often coincide with how much NIL you make. If that’s a player’s focus, junior Mykel Williams said Georgia might not be the school for them.
In Athens, team defense isn’t just something that’s talked about, it’s the goal.
“I feel like it’s because of our DNA traits, and how connected our team is,” Williams said. “Other players want to come in, be around, and play with us. But it’s also because of the track record we’ve got, and the fact we put guys in the NFL.”
As Williams explained, just because you don’t post eye-popping stats doesn’t mean playing within the system hurts your chances in the NFL.
He said Travon Walker is a great example.
During his junior season in Athens, Walker was a key member of the Bulldog defense but still finished with just 37 tackles, including six sacks.
Nevertheless, the Jacksonville Jaguars were impressed, making Walker the No. 1 overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft.
“His stats were what they were, but you can still not have ungodly stats, and look what they’re doing in the NFL,” Williams said. “It’s our system guys and the way we play, guys may not get stats like that. It works for us though.”
Williams’ numbers last season were not exactly eye-popping, either.
In 13 games, Williams finished the season with 13 tackles, including 6.5 for losses and 4.5 sacks.
SEC coaches recognized his value.
Despite the numbers, Williams was voted to the Coaches All-SEC second team and is projected as a likely first-round pick in April.
A position tweak should help his cause.
Georgia fans got a taste of it last year in the Orange Bowl when Williams began lining up at outside linebacker as well as defensive end.
“Yeah, it will probably be more like the end of the year,” Williams said. “You saw how I was changing roles like I did against Florida State, it’s going to be more like that.”
Head coach Kirby Smart admits he’s expecting a lot.
“He's become very versatile for us in terms of what he does on the field,” Smart said. “There is no greater value than what he does in the locker room because he works every day. He is physical and enjoys practice. He is a great leader for us. He should be a huge asset for us.”
If Williams’ numbers from the Orange Bowl are indicative of the type of year he’ll have, it could be something special despite Georgia’s team defense philosophy.
Williams made four tackles and recorded a sack for a 14-yard loss. He also forced a fumble and recovered the ball on the same play.
“I’m not going to put expectations on myself, but I’d liked to do something like that,” Williams smiled.
However, padding his own statistics will not be a focus, for him or the defense as a whole.
“We just want to play a complete game,” Williams said. “On this defense, we feel if we do our job, the play will come to you. My focus is just winning every game, week in, week out, and winning as a team. That’s how we play, that’s our team.”
