Georgia pair named potential breakout players by PFF

On3 imageby:Palmer Thombs05/24/23

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Pro Football Focus named 10 players across the country in College Football that they believe are bound for a breakout season in 2023. A pair of Georgia Bulldogs made that list.

Defensive lineman Mykel Williams and cornerback Kamari Lassiter are both headed into important seasons. For Williams, it’s his second with the program. He was named a Freshman All-American last season, and as a former five-star, many expect that he’ll be in and out of Athens in just three years. A strong showing as a sophomore would go a long way towards accomplishing that.

By the same token, that’s why Lassiter’s 2023 is important too, however, he’s in that third year. If he wants to be out in three – albeit not as somebody many would have expected it from coming out of high school – this is the year to do so.

Williams and Lassiter were both included on the Athlon Sports All-SEC squads – First-Team for Williams and Second-Team for Lassiter – with Williams also earning a spot as a Second-Team All-American at defensive line.

Mykel Williams

PFF on Williams: “Williams was the No. 4 overall recruit in the 2022 recruiting class, according to 247Sports. Despite being just a true freshman, Williams got on the field amid a talented Georgia defensive line. He recorded a 72.3 overall grade with a 66.0 pass-rush grade, but he had four games where he recorded a pass-rush win percentage above 20%. Watch for him to be one of the biggest breakout stars in the 2023 season.”

Williams started in the season opener before doing so once again against Samford in the second game of the year. Then, even though he wasn’t starting, Williams was still a strong presence for Georgia defensively.

Williams played in all 15 games. He had 28 tackles including a team-high 4.5 sacks. With one each in Georgia’s two College Football Playoff contests, Williams played some of his best football down the stretch.

Williams underwent surgery to repair a foot injury during the course of Georgia’s spring practice in late March. According to head coach Kirby Smart, it’s an injury that’s been building for a while and was something Williams played through last season. He and the UGA medical team were hopeful it would heal on its own, however, surgery ultimately ended up being required. Williams is expected back without limitations for fall camp.

Kamari Lassiter

PFF on Lassiter: “A former four-star prospect, Lassiter has been contributing to the Bulldogs’ defense since his true freshman season. Now a junior, he’s coming off a 2022 season where he started 15 games. He recorded a 74.9 overall grade with an 80.9 run-defense grade and a 73.2 coverage grade. At 6-foot-1 and 180 pounds, he played more than 700 snaps as the Bulldogs’ outside cornerback opposite Kelee Ringo, who departed via the 2023 NFL Draft. With a year of starting experience under his belt, he’s poised to break out in 2023.”

Lassiter goes into his second season as a starter with high hopes. Many believe he could end up being three-and-out from Georgia with two seasons of starting experience in the SEC under his belt.

As a freshman, Lassiter played in all 15 games – primarily on special teams. With some reserve defensive back time mixed in, Lassiter totaled 11 tackles and an interception. However, he came onto the scene strong in 2022.

A starter of all 15 games, the Savannah, Ga. native ended with 38 stops including five tackles for loss. Lassiter had a career-high five stops in Georgia’s big win over then-No. 1-ranked Tennessee before following it up with a pair of strong performances on the road against Mississippi State and Kentucky. In the two games, Lassiter totaled 3.0 tackles for loss. He also had one in the National Championship Game win over TCU.

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