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After a disappointing year getting after the passer, which saw them bring quarterbacks down on just 6.69% of his their dropbacks (18th in the NFL in 2024), the San Francisco 49ers watched Leonard Floyd sign with the Atlanta Falcons and let Khalil Davis sit unsigned on the free-agent market.
Knowing that their pass-rush needed help, San Francisco aimed to improve that aspect of their game early in the 2025 NFL draft. In the first round, they used the 11th overall pick on Georgia edge rusher Mykel Williams, who earned All-SEC honors twice and won a national championship during his time with the bulldogs.
In 40 career games, Williams recorded 67 tackles (23 for a loss), 14 sacks, four passes defensed, three forced fumbles and a fumble recovery. He also earned a 78.4 Pro Football Focus this past season in 402 defensive snaps.
While speaking with The Athletic's Matt Barrows, 49ers director of player personnel Tariq Ahmad recently shared why they targeted Williams in a draft loaded with talented pass rushers.
"Williams played virtually all of his final season at Georgia with a Grade 2 high ankle sprain," Barrows wrote. "John Lynch and Kyle Shanahan said on draft night that they were impressed by the 20-year-old’s grit. It turns out Williams did more than play through the injury on Saturdays.
"When national scout Steve Rubio went to Georgia for a practice, he noted that Williams not only took every practice repetition on the bad ankle but practiced for another 20 minutes after the formal session ended."
It was that session that really intrigued San Francisco, and Ahmad shared that they did their best to hide their feelings about the player during the pre-draft process.
“That was a story that stood out to us,” Ahmad said. "I really wanted to go back for Mykel’s workout. I was itching to go back, but John thought it was a better idea to just watch the tape.”
Williams has the chance to pop in the NFL playing opposite one of the best pass rushers in the league in Nick Bosa. That attitude of playing through less severe injuries can also be infectious and could really impact the culture in San Francisco. If he can take advantage of the opportunities he'll be granted to go against single blockers with the threat of Bosa on the other side, not only could the 49ers mitigate Floyd's loss, but they could actually be a better front overall in 2025.
More 49ers: 49ers not a fit for any of ESPN's top trade candidates or remaining free agents
This article originally appeared on Niners Wire: 49ers exec shares why they drafted Mykel Williams in the first round
Continue reading...
Knowing that their pass-rush needed help, San Francisco aimed to improve that aspect of their game early in the 2025 NFL draft. In the first round, they used the 11th overall pick on Georgia edge rusher Mykel Williams, who earned All-SEC honors twice and won a national championship during his time with the bulldogs.
In 40 career games, Williams recorded 67 tackles (23 for a loss), 14 sacks, four passes defensed, three forced fumbles and a fumble recovery. He also earned a 78.4 Pro Football Focus this past season in 402 defensive snaps.
While speaking with The Athletic's Matt Barrows, 49ers director of player personnel Tariq Ahmad recently shared why they targeted Williams in a draft loaded with talented pass rushers.
"Williams played virtually all of his final season at Georgia with a Grade 2 high ankle sprain," Barrows wrote. "John Lynch and Kyle Shanahan said on draft night that they were impressed by the 20-year-old’s grit. It turns out Williams did more than play through the injury on Saturdays.
"When national scout Steve Rubio went to Georgia for a practice, he noted that Williams not only took every practice repetition on the bad ankle but practiced for another 20 minutes after the formal session ended."
It was that session that really intrigued San Francisco, and Ahmad shared that they did their best to hide their feelings about the player during the pre-draft process.
“That was a story that stood out to us,” Ahmad said. "I really wanted to go back for Mykel’s workout. I was itching to go back, but John thought it was a better idea to just watch the tape.”
Williams has the chance to pop in the NFL playing opposite one of the best pass rushers in the league in Nick Bosa. That attitude of playing through less severe injuries can also be infectious and could really impact the culture in San Francisco. If he can take advantage of the opportunities he'll be granted to go against single blockers with the threat of Bosa on the other side, not only could the 49ers mitigate Floyd's loss, but they could actually be a better front overall in 2025.
More 49ers: 49ers not a fit for any of ESPN's top trade candidates or remaining free agents
This article originally appeared on Niners Wire: 49ers exec shares why they drafted Mykel Williams in the first round
Continue reading...
