The Carolina Panthers have the eighth overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft with a glaring need for a No. 1 wide receiver and plenty of holes to fill on defense. While the pre-draft process is still ongoing, there’s one risk-reward prospect who is already on the Panthers’ radar.
While Carolina could take wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan with the No. 8 selection, many around the league are divided about whether or not he is a top-10 prospect. While wideout is a needed and McMillan’s skill set would benefit quarterback Bryce Young, Carolina seems to be prioritizing additions to improve the NFL’s worst defense last season.
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According to Joe Person of The Athletic, the Panthers have “real interest” in Georgia Bulldogs edge rusher Mykel Williams. Strengthening Person’s reporting, Tony Pauline of Sportskeeda has previously reported that Carolina is expected to use its first-round pick on a defensive player.
It’s generally accepted that edge rusher Abdul Carter and cornerback Travis Hunter will both be off the board long before the Panthers are on the clock. It leaves Carolina with a few defensive options at No. 8 overall, including Williams, Bulldogs’ linebacker Jalon Walker and Texas A&M edge rusher Shemar Stewart.
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Why Mykel Williams is a risky prospect for the Carolina Panthers
Mykel Williams, a 247 Sports‘ five-star recruit in 2022, looked like a future first-round pick coming out of high school. The 6-foot-5 defensive lineman was rated as the seventh-best player in the 2022 recruiting class, with many believing he would eventually develop into a player worth a first-round pick.
The 20-year-old edge rusher did earn second-team All-SEC honors in each of the past two seasons, but he never quite had the breakout year Georgia hoped for. Williams’s personal best in sacks (five) came this season and he’s also struggled while playing through injuries.
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- Mykel Williams stats (college): 23 tackles for loss, 14 sacks, 4 pass deflections, 3 forced fumbles in 40 games
Evaluators are split on where Williams ranks among the 2025 NFL Draft prospects. Nate Tice of Yahoo Sports ranked Williams 11th, ESPN.com‘s Matt Miller ranked him 22nd and NFL.com‘s Daniel Jeremiah rates Williams as the 20th-best player in the class.
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What’s undeniable are Williams’ physical tools, motor, his explosive first-step and the combination of length and athleticism all suggest he can be a high-end starter. However, he would be a bit of a project for the Panthers coaching staff and the odds of him reaching his ceiling are lower because of his durability issues. Drafting Williams with the eighth overall pick would likely receive mixed grades, but it will either look like a steal or a massive whiff five years from now.
