PFF Reveals Perfect Draft Pick for Atlanta Falcons

The Atlanta Falcons announced they hired Jeff Ulbrich as their defensive coordinator over the weekend, and no matter who was chosen, they were going to be looking at pressure players on defense.

They are 15th in April’s 2025 NFL Draft, and they’ll be happy to see a historically strong edge class, considering they finished 31st in sacks despite a strong close to the season.

Pro Football Focus (PFF) recently took a look at the Perfect 2024 NFL Draft prospect for all 32 teams, and went with Georgia Bulldogs edge rusher Mykel Williams for the Falcons. 

“The defender that generated the most pressures for the Falcons in 2024 was Kaden Elliss, who is more of a true linebacker than an edge defender, so they could use some more pressures from their defensive line moving forward,” wrote PFF.  

“Mykel Williams is a tall 6-foot-5 defender who is so athletic that he can play multiple positions along the line and rush standing up or down in a stance. Williams is already a stout run defender who posted run defense grades over 80.0 in the last two seasons. Williams is still developing as a pass-rusher and in 2024, Williams recorded five sacks, six QB hits and 15 hurries.”

Notorious for his elite run-stopping ability, Williams also took strides as a pass rusher in 2024, racking up five sacks and 15 quarterback pressures. He’s a good fit for any scheme.

The Falcons will need a bit of luck to get Williams. ESPN’s Jordan Reid recently had him going to the Carolina Panthers at No. 8 overall in his latest mock draft.

Williams is a former five-star recruit from Hardaway High School in Columbus, Ga. He boasts a prototypical frame and impressive length that stands out even in the NFL. During his college career, Williams played 40 games for head coach Kirby Smart’s Bulldogs, earning freshman All-American honors and being named to the second team All-SEC team twice. 

Like most Georgia players, Williams is well coached as a prospect could be, displaying elite pad level, strong hand usage, snap anticipation, and a good understanding of leverage. 

Add some additional pass-rush moves and planning to match his explosive, dominating bull rush and block shedding power, and Williams has comparable ability to former 18th overall pick Jaelan Phillips of the Miami Dolphins and former 1st overall pick Travon Walker of the Jacksonville Jaguars.