The immediate feedback from San Francisco 49ers fans on the selection of Georgia defensive end Mikel Williams has been overwhelmingly positive, but what do the experts have to say? Several weighed in after the pick, handing out their grades—probably way too early.
The 49ers addressed their biggest priority with the selection of Williams—their diminished defensive line. The addition brings in a talented pass rusher that the team hopes becomes a nice complementary piece to Nick Bosa.
San Francisco was so enamored with Williams that general manager John Lynch even tried to trade up to acquire him, a move that proved unnecessary as the 49ers were able to select him at No. 11.
Let's run through several of the experts' grades and what they said about the selection.
The Athletic
Link: Grading NFL Draft 2025 first-round picks: Travis Hunter, Jaxson Dart and more
By: Nick Baumgardner and Scott Dochterman
Grade: A
Analysis:
"The 49ers needed a bookend to play with Nick Bosa, and Williams fits the description. After the 49ers lost a ton in free agency and were faced with salary-cap situations, this pick was more than solid — Williams can become a decade-long starter, if he stays healthy.
"At Georgia last year, however, he dealt with repeated ankle issues, which kept his starts and rotational snaps down. But as a team captain, he was still productive (five sacks and 8.5 tackles for loss). Williams possesses huge arms (34 3/8 inches) and a giant wingspan (82 7/8 inches). He is a physical edge capable of moving anywhere along the line of scrimmage on passing downs."
The 33rd Team
Link: 2025 NFL Draft: Grades, Analysis For Every First-Round Pick
By: Ian Valentino
Grade: B
Analysis:
"There's risk here because San Francisco has not had good luck keeping their guys healthy, and Mykel Williams never logged more than 407 snaps in a single season.
"However, he's a pro-ready run defender and explosive pass-rusher with an elite frame. He can be one of the best pass-rushers in the NFL."
CBS Sports
Link: 2025 NFL Draft grades for Round 1: Jags earn A+ for Travis Hunter move, Giants get C- for Jaxson Dart pick
By: Pete Prisco
Grade: B
Analysis:
"They had to get pass rush help to go with Nick Bosa. Williams didn't play as well in 2024 as he did in 2023, but the talent is there. He gives them a bookend to go with Bosa."
NFL.com
Link: 2025 NFL Draft: Snap grades for all 32 teams on Day 1
By: Chad Reuter
Grade: B
- Williams could become an excellent starter on the edge for the 49ers, who needed bodies there, given the release of Leonard Floyd and the lack of production from the team's current reserves.
- Williams showed more potential than production at Georgia, partially because he played through injury last season. His length is a plus, and he can lock out offensive tackles at the line of scrimmage to play the run or attack the passer. Still, Williams will need to make more plays for the Niners than he did with the Bulldogs to be worthy of this pick.
- San Francisco passed on cornerback Jahdae Barron despite having a strong need at the position after Charvarius Ward departed in free agency.
Pro Football Network
Link: Who Nailed It, Who Blew It? 2025 First-Round NFL Draft Grades and Takeaways
By: PFN Team
Grade: B
Analysis:
"There's an argument to make that the 49ers would've been better served to reinforce their offensive line in Round 1, but Banks' selection at ninth overall reduced their options. Ultimately, the 49ers' needs were just as great on the other side of the trenches, and Mykel Williams was their selection.
"Williams – in a similar mold to Shemar Stewart – was a polarizing prospect throughout the 2025 NFL Draft cycle. He never achieved elite levels of production at the collegiate level, but at 6'5" and 260 pounds, with almost 35" arms, he's a moldable ball of clay with his size, explosiveness, hip fluidity, and overwhelming power component.
"There's a heavy developmental aspect with Williams in San Francisco, and he'll need to grow as an independent pass-rusher, but it's comforting that there are some high-floor elements of Williams' game. He's an elite run defender with gap instincts and edge-setting and stack-and-shed ability, and as a pass-rusher, he can be utilized on stunts as a battering ram. The upside is high opposite Nick Bosa if he can reach his ceiling."
USA Today
Link: 2025 NFL draft grades: Every pick in first round broken down
By: Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz
Grade: B
Analysis:
"When John Lynch spoke this week about the importance of 'setting a firm edge,' he might as well have been discussing Williams. The 6-5, 260-pounder is plenty powerful and stout against the run, making him a sensible fit to occupy the spot opposite Nick Bosa. He still has plenty of developing to do as a pass rusher, but there's few better places to do that than under defensive coordinator Robert Saleh. San Francisco still has more work to do to firm up its defensive line, but it can return to a deep defensive tackle class on Day 2."
Yahoo! Sports
Link: 2025 NFL Draft picks, grades from Round 1: Cam Ward gets a ...
By: Charles McDonald
Grade: B
Analysis:
"Mykel Williams isn't the most explosive pass rusher, but he's a steady run defender that should pair well with Nick Bosa and his aggressive style of play. The 49ers needed to add more sturdiness to their defensive line and Williams brings that — and gives them a chance to get back to playing dominant defense."
FOX Sports
Link: 2025 NFL Draft grades: Should Giants have taken Jaxson Dart over Shedeur Sanders?
By: Rob Rang
Grade: B-
Analysis:
"The 49ers needed to add new blood to their front seven and few offer as much upside as Williams, a physically-imposing 6-5, 267-pounder who comes with more tools than the local Home Depot. He lacked eye-popping statistics at Georgia yet offers burst off the edge, as well as terrific length and strength to hold up in the running game. There is some risk to Williams, as he is far from a finished product, but this is the kind of blue-collar selection the 49ers needed to rebuild a defense struggling after the salary-cap bloodletting of this offseason."
Sports Illustrated
Link: 2025 NFL Draft First-Round Grades for All 32 Picks
By: Gilberto Manzano
Grade: B-
Analysis:
"The 49ers are adding help for Nick Bosa. The hulking 6' 5", 267-pound Williams has the skill set to make an immediate impact. Williams didn't have the monster junior season many expected him to have for the Bulldogs partly because of a nagging ankle injury. But Williams showed plenty of toughness and still found ways to make plays despite the limitations.
"Last season, Williams played 12 games and had 8.5 tackles for loss, five sacks and two forced fumbles."
Bleacher Report
Link: NFL Draft 2025 Round 1 Grades for Every Pick
By: Brent Sobleski
Grade: C
Analysis:
"Georgia's Mykel Williams is far from a finished prospect. He and Nick Bosa could form a dynamic edge-rusher duo one day, but Williams isn't that player yet.
"The San Francisco 49ers lost plenty on defense this offseason, including their second-leading sack artist in Leonard Floyd. Williams and Floyd couldn't have more different skill sets. The veteran always built his game around quickness off the snap and flexibility to bend and flatten the edge, whereas Williams' game is power-based.
"This is the epitome of a boom-or-bust selection. The 49ers could have gone with better and more natural pass-rushers with the 11th overall pick. But San Francisco is banking on defensive coordinator Robert Saleh and defensive line coach Kris Kocurek getting the most out of a developmental option.
"Expectations built for Williams before the 2024 season even began. Much like former Bulldog Travon Walker, the potential of what he could become overstepped what he actually was.
"Williams made the full-time transition from interior to edge defender with the idea that his athletic profile would allow him to become a force. That didn't exactly happen. He finished with five sacks on the season after racking up 4.5 in both 2022 and 2023.
"At the very least, Williams can be a top-notch run-defender for the Niners right away."
The Ringer
Link: Draft Grades
By: Danny Kelly
Grade: C+
Analysis:
"The Niners look to bolster their defensive line here, grabbing a high-upside but unproven edge rusher in Williams. The former Bulldogs stalwart has an absolutely massive frame and plays with plenty of power, and he brings a high floor as a run defender. But this feels like a big project for San Francisco, and I worry about Williams's lack of a pass-rush game and his overall lack of production. Williams has traits, but he still has a long way to go in his development."
Pro Football Focus
Link: 2025 NFL Draft: Grades for every first-round pick
By: PFF Team
Grade: Average
Analysis:
"The 49ers' defensive line was looking thin around Nick Bosa, so defensive linemen were always high on their list of likely targets with this pick. Williams brings a range of traits for Robert Saleh to work with and is projected as one of the safer NFL transitions in this class. He stood out particularly as a run defender over the past three seasons, ranking in the 97th percentile among NCAA edge defenders in PFF run-defense grade during that span."
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