The San Francisco 49ers took an aggressive approach to rebuilding their defensive line during the 2025 NFL Draft. With the 11th overall pick, they selected edge rusher Mykel Williams, followed up with two more picks spent on defensive tackles, moves aimed at fortifying the trenches for years to come.
NFL insider Jeremy Fowler recently broke down San Francisco's draft strategy and the thinking behind targeting Williams over other potential options.
"Whispers of trading up persisted closer to and around the draft," Fowler wrote in a feature for ESPN. "The 49ers discussed trade options with Carolina at No. 8 that ultimately didn't materialize."
Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer had previously reported that the 49ers explored a potential move to the Panthers' No. 8 spot as part of a trade-up scenario, so this isn't a new revelation. However, it stresses the team's commitment to drafting Williams.
"I talked to a few teams picking high who wondered whether San Francisco would move up for a playmaker such as Tetairoa McMillan or Colston Loveland," Fowler continued. "And the Saints (No. 9) had been linked to Mykel Williams, San Francisco's pick at No. 11, so a trade with Carolina would have allowed the Niners to get ahead of New Orleans, to be safe. But staying put worked out."
Fowler also noted that defensive tackle Mason Graham had viewed San Francisco as a possible destination if he slipped out of the top 10. That scenario never came to pass, as the Cleveland Browns selected Graham at No. 5.
"Williams had top-10 buzz early in the draft process," Fowler wrote. "Then, some teams tried to knock his modest production (14 sacks in 40 college games) and 4.76 40 time. But things always regress to the mean closer to the draft, when athletic traits win out, so Williams went in somewhere close to his proper range. And his length and bend is among the best in the draft, perfect for the 49ers' defense."
Fowler also shared that second-round pick Alfred Collins, a defensive tackle out of Texas, was a favorite of 49ers defensive line coach Kris Kocurek, who hails from the same region where Collins played high school football—in Texas.
Four experts predict DROY honors for Williams
In an ESPN feature projecting Offensive and Defensive Rookie of the Year candidates from the 2025 NFL Draft, four analysts chose Mykel Williams as their pick for Defensive Rookie of the Year. The last 49ers player to earn that honor was Nick Bosa in 2019.
Stephania Bell, Pamela Maldonado, Ben Solak, and Lindsey Thiry all believe Williams is primed to make an immediate impact in San Francisco's defense.
"They knew they needed to improve their run defense, and their selection of Williams in the first round confirmed that commitment," Bell wrote. "His ability to set the edge is going to be fun to watch opposite of Nick Bosa. Returning defensive coordinator Robert Saleh has to be excited about molding the talented rookie into a perennial elite defender."
Maldonado agreed, citing Williams' physical traits and favorable situation.
"What a dream setup," she wrote. "He's big, explosive and can line up anywhere. The real cheat code? He's playing next to Bosa, which means he's going to see a ton of one-on-ones. Throw in Williams' raw power and high motor ... he has a real shot to make noise fast."
Solak added, "He should immediately take the starting job opposite Bosa in camp, and in Saleh's aggressive defense, he will have the license to get after the passer in a way he never did at Georgia. Williams has the tackle radius, explosiveness and grip strength to be a high sack-getter in the NFL."
Thiry emphasized the learning opportunity within the 49ers' elite defensive unit.
"He could be a quick study under Saleh, who produced a top-10 defensive unit in the final two seasons of his previous tenure with the 49ers," she wrote. "Williams will play opposite of a former Defensive Rookie of the Year in Bosa, and on a unit that includes four-time All-Pro linebacker Fred Warner. So Williams could go undetected on certain plays but also learn from some of the league's best."
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