-
Adam Rittenberg, ESPN Senior Writer
Georgia standout defenders Jalon Walker and Mykel Williams are both headed to the NFL draft, where they could continue the school’s run of first-round selections. Both made their draft declarations Monday on Instagram.
Walker, an inside linebacker who won the Butkus Award as the nation’s top linebacker, earned first-team All-SEC honors alongside Williams, a defensive end. Walker led Georgia with 10.5 tackles for loss and tied for the team lead in sacks with 6.5, while adding a team-high seven quarterback hurries and two fumble recoveries. ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. lists the 6-2, 245-pound Walker as the No. 12 prospect for the draft, two spots ahead of Williams.
Kiper ranks Walker as the top draft-eligible off-ball linebacker for 2025, while Williams is the No. 2 outside linebacker prospect, behind Penn State’s Abdul Carter. Williams had five sacks, 8.5 tackles for loss and two forced fumbles for Georgia this season, while being limited by an ankle injury during the first half of the season.
Walker earned third-team AP All-America honors in his first season as a starter for Georgia, which lost to Notre Dame on Thursday in the CFP Semifinal at the Allstate Sugar Bowl. The 6-5, 265-pound Williams also earned second-team All-SEC honors in 2023, his first season as a starter, when he led the team with 4.5 sacks.