One Georgia Bulldogs star may see his NFL Draft stock fall after pro day, but it definitely should not given his physical traits
Nearly 20 Georgia Bulldogs players participated in their NFL Pro Day on Wednesday. Several of them needed to take the opportunity to prove to NFL teams that they were indeed athletic enough to make it to the next level. Others just needed to verify what most NFL scouts already believed to be true.For most players […]
Nearly 20 Georgia Bulldogs players participated in their NFL Pro Day on Wednesday. Several of them needed to take the opportunity to prove to NFL teams that they were indeed athletic enough to make it to the next level. Others just needed to verify what most NFL scouts already believed to be true.
For most players it was a strong showing. Defensive back Dan Jackson tested incredibly well after not receiving an invite to the NFL Combine. Malaki Starks' elite movement skills put to bed any worries about his athleticism too. However, one player didn't necessarily have the Pro Day some experts were hoping for.
Mykel Williams to fall down NFL Draft boards?
Mykel Williams drew some mixed reviews from scouts in person and the NFL Draft community at large after running a forty-yard dash time somewhere between the mid 4.7s and 4.8-second range.
Our very own Kelsey Kramer was there on site and reported Williams' forty to be somewhere between 4.7 and 4.8 seconds according to many on-site. The consensus came in closer to 4.8 seconds when everything was tallied up.
On the surface that forty-yard dash time sounds a bit slow given we're all used to seeing much smaller players run in the 4.2s, 4.3s, and 4.4s. And while yes, many of the defensive ends who ran this year tested a bit faster than Mykel Williams, understanding important historical context is key before dumping Williams' draft stock.
At 6'5", 260 pounds, running a forty-yard dash in between 4.75 and 4.8 seconds actually gives him a Speed Score above the 60th percentile for defensive ends when we look at large sample testing data over the last two decades. Is that what NFL scouts typically want to see from a traits-projection at the position? Not necessarily. But it's also not a bad time either.
Either way, Williams' forty time came up on multiple occasions following the Georgia Pro Day in his media availability. When asked about what he wanted to prove to NFL scouts with his forty-yard dash, Williams had this to say:
"[Running the forty] wasn't necessarily to prove to [NFL scouts]. It was kind of to prove to myself that I can run at a high speed. And I'm capable of running fast."
Many around the draft community were quick to overreact on social media about the "slow" forty-yard dash time, so we may see his expected 2025 NFL Draft stock fall in coming weeks, but that's likely unwise.
Why? Williams may not have even been completely healthy for his forty today.
Williams mentioned in the media scrum after the Pro Day that his ankle recovery is still not completely done as he's working on getting back to normal when it comes to his lateral movement still. Yet he still chose to give it a go today in front of scouts.
It's hard to tell if Williams' speed results from his NFL Pro Day will actually have a significant impact on his actual draft stock, but many seem to believe he won't be an early first round selection anymore. If the NFL does indeed let him drop very far there's a chance Williams turns out to be an absolute steal given his impressive physical traits. Let's hope he silences the doubters, and soon.
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We'll be back with more Georgia Bulldogs coverage here at A to Z Sports soon! Follow me (@FF_TravisM) and A to Z Sports (@AtoZSportsNFL) on X for all the latest football news!
And if you want to see why many believe Mykel Williams is a first round prospect in the 2025 NFL Draft just check out his highlights in the video below!
