There are three names most connected to the New England Patriots and their No. 4 overall pick in NFL mock drafts.
Travis Hunter, Abdul Carter and Will Campbell routinely pop up and are all seen as logical fits for the Patriots at that premier draft spot.
But another name might join that group, especially after he puts his talent on display later this week at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis. NBC Sports Boston’s Phil Perry heard from people around the league that Georgia edge rusher Mykel Williams, who is viewed as “under-the-radar” by Perry at the moment, could work himself into the conversation for the Patriots when they get on the clock early in the draft.
“I’ve been told Mykel Williams is a better version of Travon Walker,” Perry said on a recent episode of “The Next Pats Podcast.” “More instinctive. He is a long, he’s flexible, he bends, he has power, he runs well. He plays a premium position, he has rare physical traits in a draft class that is lacking high-end talent and players with those types of traits. And so if he gets through the process and aces every test, and it looks like he’s only got room to grow — this guy is still 20 years old. He’ll be 20 years old when he’s drafted. He doesn’t turn 21 until late June. There’s a lot to like there. Just keep an eye on him.”
Williams played three seasons at Georgia and tallied 14 sacks over that span. While his stats don’t jump off the page, his physical traits do as he stands at 6-foot-5 and 265 pounds and is an “explosive athlete,” according to draft guru Lance Zierlein. Zierlein compared Williams to Buffalo Bills defensive end Gregory Rousseau.
Edge rusher, like offensive tackle and wide receiver, is a position of need for the Patriots after they tallied a league-low 28 sacks this past season. Williams may need some time to develop, but he could turn into a game-changing, front-seven defender the Patriots can rely on in the future.
Some mock drafts have Williams getting selected in the middle of the first round while a couple see Williams as a top-10 pick. So, he might not end up being a reach for the Patriots at No. 4, especially if he impresses over the coming weeks.