NFL 2025 draft: why the Detroit lions should exchange for Mykel Williams

The way things are held, it is quite possible that the Strait Lions will be ready to start Marcus Davenport in front of Aidan Hutchinson in week 1. But as we all know, it is a precarious game to play for Lions. While Davenport plays the exact style they want from a pointed defensive end, the injuries have limited him to six games in the last two seasons, and he has not had a productive year since 2021. Even if he turns it this year, he will be 29 years old in the first month of the season. It is not a long -term response.

This is exactly why the Lions of Detroit should write the defensive winger of Georgia Mykel Williams with their choice of first round in the draft of the NFL 2025.

Previously:

Measurable ideals

Mykel Williams does not only correspond to the prototype of a large and big on -board defender at 6 feet 5 inches, 260 (at 280) books. Its 34.4 -inch arm length and an 82.88 -inch wingspan allows it to keep up -to -off line editors and maintain its accent on the rear field. This size and length appear on the band with its elite capacity to stop the race. Check it yourself:

But there is so much more meat on the bone than the lions could use. Williams did not participate in each exercise in the field, but his dashboard of 4.77 40 yards and 1.67 division of 10 yards suggest that there is a lot of speed and explosion to suggest that it is capable of unlocking more skills in passing past that it may not have displayed at university.

Violent play style

Here is how the former defensive coordinator of Lions, Aaron Glenn, explained how Davenport corresponded to La Défense:

“It’s a violent, it’s a physique, he is a great athletic man who plays the game in the right direction. So, you are absolutely right – if you have a guy like that that can rush and can condense the pocket, which allows Hutch and other guys to go to work, and we expect this. “

Compare this to this profile of Williams, via Danny Kelly de la Ringer:

“He is a versatile defender, capable of queuing in several places, and he flashes a good lever effect and good power when you play on the tackle or inside. Against the race, Williams stains the blockers and puts them on their heels, controlling the representative and the tackles.

He does not only welcome contact, he dominates it. If you try to launch a tight end, thoughts and prayers.

Do you rather want to team up with a pair of offensive line editors? It will always collapse the rushed path with its power and its length.

Production

Williams was a starter for two years in Georgia. But with the depth and rotation they use along the defensive line, its production numbers are significantly lower than what awaits you. It only included 33.5 snaps per game last year (for comparison, Abdul Carter on average around 45). However, production is quite good:

2022 (15 games, 2 departures): 38 plated, 7.0 TFL, 4.5 bags
2023 (13 games, 10 departures): 18 plated, 7.0 TFL, 4.5 bags
2024 (12 games, 5 departures): 21 plated, 9.0 TFL, 5.0 bags

His PFF notes are a little more revealing of the kind of game he is capable of. He obtained a defense note of 86.2 pff in the regular season – for the 11th best in the country.

His tower -of -the -core victory rate was a fairly pedestrian pedestrian, but it should be noted that Williams fought by an ankle injury for the first half of his 2024 season, and he still develops with regard to his rush to the pass. He made comparisons with former Georgia Edge Travon Walker, who managed only 6.0 bags and a rush victory rate of 7.0% in his last university season. Walker has since displayed consecutive seasons of 10 dishes for jagatants.

Weakness

Williams does not have many drawbacks, but his rush to the passes is certainly not refined and he plays a little standing. I do not want to reject these concerns, because some of these habits will not disappear easily. However, most Williams limits are the result of limited experience and can be corrected with the right coach staff.

Williams may not have the turn of an elite and high level rusher, but he will gain more often with his power. And there are enough athletic tools in his bag for her arsenal to rush to the potential to be varied. But, again, it’s only potential at this point.

Grain / Football character

His style of play alone makes a grainy player, but he is also a person with a high content between the games. Here is Georgia Kirby Smart coach from July 2024:

“It has become very versatile for us in terms of what it does on the ground. There is no greater value than what he does in the locker room because he works every day. He is physical, likes practice. He is a big leader for us. It should be a huge asset for us. ”

It is not surprising that Williams landed at level 2 of our grain index – the sixth best score among this year’s Edge class.

Okay, will he be there at 28 years old?

Yeanhhhhhhhhh on this.

When I started digging in prospects at the end of February, I thought that Williams’s lack of productivity could drag it to the lions. However, it seems that if the Lions want to write it, they may have to exchange it to do so. The rumors of this week are that Williams is a hot goods.

Peter Schrage d’Espn:

And an anonymous defensive line coach of the NFL (via Bruce Feldman of athletics):

“I think he will have a better career than milestone or Abdul. He is physical like f—. He played injured this year – he didn’t care. The shooters come to him – he intends to do them.

But if you want to keep the hope that Williams falls to Detroit, it should be noted that he is 19th on the great council of the consensus of ARIF Hasan, 21st on the big painting of Dane Brugler, and 22nd on the painting of Daniel Jeremiah. It is not out of the question that it falls to Detroit at 28 years old, but it is much more likely that Lions will have to give additional assets to obtain it.

Consider this my approval for a movement like this. Williams is one of the most perfect adjustments to the Defense of Detroit, and for him to present himself to a long -term need for need and a high -value position makes an aggressive decision for him.