ATHENS — Georgia has seen what a reasonably healthy Mykel Williams can do for the defense. He picked up 2.0 sacks in Georgia’s 30-15 win over Texas.
With Williams rushing off one side and Jalon Walker on the other, the Texas Longhorns had no answer for Georgia’s pass rush. Georgia finished with a season-best 7.0 sacks in the 30-15 win, along with three fumble recoveries off of sacks.
Williams and company know that performance was up to standard. Going into the Ole Miss game, the Bulldogs know they have to meet that standard again.
“It felt good to finally play up to our standard as a defense, I kind of feel like, and just to play up to, like, the ability that we’re capable of playing to,” Williams told reporters on Tuesday night.
Ole Miss’ offense racked up 63 points in a win over Arkansas, with quarterback Jaxson Dart throwing for 515 yards in the win. Georgia knows it will have its hands full on Saturday, as Ole Miss mixes tempo and explosive plays as well as anyone.
Williams played a season-best 41 snaps in the win over Florida this past weekend. It’s a positive sign for a player that saw just 42 snaps during a five-week stretch earlier in the season due to an ankle injury he picked up against Clemson.
Williams, speaking to reporters for the first time since that injury was sustained on Tuesday, noted that it has been an uphill climb to return to health.
And that he’s still not at 100 percent.
“It takes a lot of patience dealing with the injury that I have, being a high ankle. I’ve been getting better week in and week out, though, and I’m steady progressing toward 100 (percent),” Williams said.
That isn’t yet the best version of himself should be a terrifying thought for opposing offenses, and offer some hope to Georgia fans as the Bulldogs try to find their level on offense.
“I think he’s had a great season. He’s had a tremendous work ethic. He’s had the best camp he’s ever had, and, you know, there’s value in that,” Georgia coach Kirby Smart said. “He’s been really level-headed. He doesn’t let things get him down. He’s not real emotional. He doesn’t take up highs and lows. He’s worked really hard to get healthy, and I still don’t know that he’s 100%, but he’s much closer.”
Williams, even having to battle through injury, is still viewed as one of the top prospects in the 2025 NFL Draft class. In that regard, this season has only further shown why Williams is viewed as a bonafide NFL draft prospect.
But that means little to Williams at this point. He didn’t attack his rehab and play through pain to boost his draft stock. Winning and playing well matters to Williams.
He’s grateful he’ll get a chance to do that again for Georgia on Saturday.
“It’s been extremely frustrating, like, dealing with it, especially when it first happened,” Williams said. “But I try not to let it get to me now and just think of how can I get better from it, or how can I grow, how can this help me, how can this make me better as a player and a person.”
