Two Georgia defenders named True Freshman All-Americans by ESPN
The accolades keep coming Georgia’s way since the end of the regular season. The 14-0 Bulldogs had two players land on the ESPN True Freshman All-American team, which was released on Wednesday. Recruiting and College Football Analysts Tom VanHarren and Tom Luginbill took a crack at naming the team position-by-position but they both agreed on the UGA players who made the list — defensive end Mykel Williams and safety Malaki Starks.
Williams has played in all 14 games for the Bulldogs this season. He’s tied for second on the team in sacks with 3.5 and had one against Ohio State in UGA’s 42-41 win in the Chick-Fil-A Peach Bowl.
“Williams was the third-highest-ranked signee in Georgia’s class and one of four ESPN 300 defensive linemen to sign with the Dawgs. He was the No. 3 defensive tackle in the 2022 cycle and ended up starting two games this season while playing in 14. Entering the national championship game, he has tallied 26 total tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks. The experience he gained this season should only help him grow and the Dawgs stay strong next year.” — VanHaaren
The Carver High School (Columbus, Ga.) product has 26 tackles on the year. He also has 5.5 tackles for loss and five quarterback hurries.
Starks has started 13 straight games for the Bulldogs. He came off the bench in the season opener vs. Oregon but has been the starter in every game since. The former five-star prospect is Georgia’s second-leading tackler in 2022, trailing only inside linebacker Smael Mondon.
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“Starks was the highest-rated signee in Georgia’s class, ranked as a five-star and the No. 1 athlete in 2022. He was a 6-foot-1, 195-pound prospect who made an immediate impact from Day 1, recording eight tackles and an interception in a season-opening blowout win over then-No. 11 Oregon. Through 14 games, he is second on the team in total tackles with 67. He has 1.5 tackles for loss, two interceptions and seven pass breakups.” — VanHaaren
The Jefferson High School (Jefferson, Ga.) product also has two interceptions on the year. Those go with seven pass breakups and 1.5 tackles for loss.
Both Williams and Starks will play key roles as the Bulldogs attempt to make history. Georgia has a chance to go 15-0 and win its second National Championship in as many seasons. The Bulldogs take on TCU in the National Championship game on January 9 at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. ET on ESPN. According to VegasInsider.com, Georgia is currently the 12.5-point favorite. It opened as a 13.5-point favorite.
