When Mike Tomlin attends a Pro Day, it’s a safe bet that he’ll have dinner with at least one prospect from that school to get to know them better. With Tomlin (and Arthur Smith) in Athens, Ga., for The University of Georgia’s Pro Day, Tomlin had a Pro Day dinner with Georgia EDGE Mykel Williams, per D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
Williams measured in at 6051 and 260 pounds at the NFL Combine with 34 3/8-inch arms. He projects as an EDGE in the NFL and is expected to be one of the first off the board, although there’s a chance he could be around for Pittsburgh’s selection at No. 21 overall.
With T.J. Watt, Alex Highsmith and Nick Herbig, EDGE is low on the list of the Steelers’ needs, although they could look to find depth late in the draft. It would be a surprise if the Steelers addressed the position in the first round, although Williams does have the ideal length that the Steelers look for. But with a defensive lineman the team’s biggest need, theoretically, they could have Williams put on weight to play in their 3-4 scheme, but that doesn’t seem very likely or realistic.
Still, it’s notable that he had a dinner with Tomlin, and even if the Steelers don’t draft Williams in April, their pre-draft interest often comes back around when a player hits the free-agent market. By the time Williams likely becomes a free agent, both Highsmith and Watt will be in their 30s and might not even be with the team.
Williams was clocked in the low 4.70s and as high as 4.68 running the 40 at his Pro Day, via Mike Garafolo and Taylor Bisciotti of NFL Media.
Over three years at Georgia, Mykel Williams totaled 14 sacks and 23 tackles for a loss as part of his 67 total tackles. He also had four passes defensed and three forced fumbles in 40 games with the Bulldogs.
Other notable players that Tomlin and Smith are watching at Georgia include S Malaki Starks, DL Nazir Stackhouse and Warren Brinson, RB Trevor Etienne, OG Tate Ratledge and Dylan Fairchild, and LB Jalon Walker, who grew up a Steelers fan.
