The New Orleans Saints could look to add to their pass rush early in the 2025 NFL Draft.
The Saints hosted a dinner with a group of Georgia Bulldogs players, including edge rusher Mykel Williams, per NewOrleans.Football's Nick Underhill. Wide receiver Arian Smith was also among those in attendance.
At 6-foot-5 and 260 pounds, Williams possesses the ideal size to play on the edge at the pro level, and his long arms make him a strong fit in the Saints' new 3-4 defense.
While his production in college wasn't high, Williams has shown significant development in his three seasons in college and could be a key piece to a team's future.
In his career, the former Bulldog recorded 14 sacks and 23 tackles for loss. He boasts impressive explosiveness off the line and the strength to win with a power rush. However, Williams' explosiveness is the most intriguing part of his game and a key to why he is being considered as a potential top-10 pick. Williams doesn't have the numbers compared to other prospects, but his combination of size and athleticism offers one of the highest ceilings of all pass rushers in the draft.
Williams has been mocked to a variety of teams, including those picking ahead of the Saints (9th overall), such as the Carolina Panthers (8th overall). However, the promising prospect is most frequently mocked to the Cincinnati Bengals (17th overall) and the Dallas Cowboys (12th overall).
The Saints held the 27th worst defense in 2024 and need to add to their defensive line. While New Orleans did bring Chase Young back on a generous deal and signed Carl Granderson to a significant contract in 2023, the combination of their new scheme and other aging members on their defensive line creates an opening for Williams to become a core piece of the pass rush for the future.
Williams will be a developmental piece and likely be more of a run defender early in his career. The Saints have invested in their coaching during the offseason and have hired individual coaches for their interior and exterior pass rushers. With an emphasis on development, the Georgia standout makes a lot of sense to land in New Orleans in the 2025 NFL draft.
