Georgia Edge Rusher Amaris Williams Out Extended Time After ACL Tear, Smart Won't Say When He's Back

Georgia's spring game just cost the Bulldogs a key defensive piece. Edge rusher Amaris Williams suffered a non-contact knee injury during the G-Day scrimmage on Saturday and is expected to miss extended time, head coach Kirby Smart confirmed. The ACL tear means Williams will be sidelined for an unknown duration, and Smart made it clear he's not putting a return date on the board.

"I don't know how long he's out," Smart said. "You never know how long it is with the ACL. George Pickens was able to come back and play, he had a similar injury. You never put a timetable on it. He doesn't want to put a timetable on it. He wants to do what he can to recover and get better."

A Transfer Year Loss for Georgia's Defense

Williams arrived at Georgia as one of the program's nine transfers this season, coming from Auburn where he spent two years. Most recently, he played in 14 games for the Tigers in 2025, posting nine tackles and two sacks. Now, before he's even completed his first spring with the Bulldogs, he's watching from the sidelines.

This isn't the first time Smart has seen this story play out. According to the coach, he's witnessed seven to nine ACL tears during his 11 years in Athens, and nearly all of them came from non-contact drills. The silver lining? Pickens tore his ACL during spring practice as a sophomore and made an accelerated recovery, returning roughly eight months later to compete in Georgia's final four games, including the 2022 national championship game. That's the road map here, but there are no guarantees.

Other Spring Injuries to Monitor

Williams isn't the only Bulldog nursing an injury. Running back Nate Frazier limped off the field after just one carry when he reaggravated an ankle injury. Smart took the cautious route and held him out for the rest of the scrimmage. "He had an ankle coming out of the last game," Smart explained. "He came back from that and went through all spring, and then that first carry he reaggravated that ankle, so we held him."

Demello Jones and Raylen Wilson also sat out portions of spring. Jones dealt with a hamstring pull he suffered last week going up for a ball, while Wilson's knee issue led Smart to shut him down during the spring period. Neither situation has Smart overly concerned at this point.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.