We are, obviously, a long way away from the 2025 NFL draft, and there is much that can—and will—change. But an early look at what might happen eight months from now has the Cowboys picking up an interesting piece, a player who could even potentially be the best in the draft, according to some analysts.
The player is edge rusher Mykel Williams of the Georgia Bulldogs, whom USA Today predicts will drop into the laps of the Cowboys with the No. 25 overall pick in late April 2025.
Williams is entering his junior year and has been a disruptive force for Georgia in his first two seasons. He played all 15 games as a freshman, with 4.5 total sacks, and registered a sack in the NCAA championship win over Texas Christian that year. Last season, he led Georgia with another 4.5 sacks in 13 games.
Williams manned the defensive line for most of his freshman and sophomore years, but began playing some outside linebacker as well as defensive end last year.
Cowboys Still in Midst of Unsettled Offseason
The Cowboys could find themselves looking at any number of needs in next year’s draft, though. We might get some answers on what those needs are in the coming weeks and months.
That’s because the Cowboys will eventually have to make decisions on how much they will pay their three superstar players, and when. That starts with quarterback Dak Prescott, who is on the hook for $54 million this season and would likely need a raise from there. The Cowboys have been reluctant to give Prescott a big, long-term contract, though, perhaps unsure about whether his playoff record (1-3) will ever significantly improve.
The Cowboys also need to pay CeeDee Lamb, who is in line to become one of the top-paid non-quarterbacks in the NFL, with a contract in the range of $30 million-plus per year.
And then there’s Micah Parsons, who may need to wait until next offseason to secure a big deal but who is eligible to sign an extension this offseason.
The Cowboys are fortunate to have three big-time stars on the roster, but might not be able to afford to pay all three under league salary cap rules—and again, they’ll be especially hesitant to do so if the team flops in the playoffs again.
Mykel Williams Tabbed ‘Best Prospect’ by Analyst
If the Cowboys do need to jettison one of the three stars, Parsons could well be the one to go. That might put the team in dire need of a pass rusher, and would open the way for the drafting of Williams.
Even if the Cowboys keep Parsons, the team could use another young pass rusher, with DeMarcus Lawrence now 32 years old and in the final year of his contract. Williams has the chance to be a good one.
Yahoo Sports analyst Nate Tice gushed about Williams’s performance in the Orange Bowl against Florida State, when he registered a sack and had a forced fumble, which he recovered.
“Mykel Williams (#13) taking over the Orange Bowl. Like most Georgia defensive linemen, Williams was part of a deep rotation, but you can see his qualities – length, power, bend, speed – shine in this game. Williams is currently my number one overall prospect for the ’25 draft,” Tice wrote on Twitter/X.
Mykel Williams (#13) taking over the Orange Bowl.
Like most Georgia defensive linemen, Williams was part of a deep rotation, but you can see his qualities – length, power, bend, speed – shine in this game.
Williams is currently my number one overall prospect for the ’25 draft.
Tice is alone in having Williams rated that high, and it would be a big leap on the draft board if he even cracked the Top 10. But Williams will get more of an opportunity to shine this season. Maybe, though, he’ll still manage to fall to the Cowboys.
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Cowboys Predicted to Land ‘No. 1 Overall Prospect’ Former Champ