The San Francisco 49ers are counting on their top two draft picks, Mykel Williams and Alfred Collins, to make immediate impacts during their rookie NFL seasons. Following the departure of several key veterans this offseason, the 49ers are turning to their 2025 draft class—headlined by Williams and Collins—to help fill the void.
General manager John Lynch recently spoke with NBC Sports Bay Area, offering insight into what the team saw in the talented defenders. Lynch and head coach Kyle Shanahan had long admired Williams and hoped the draft would unfold in their favor.
In fact, the 49ers even attempted to trade up with the Carolina Panthers for the No. 8 pick to ensure they could land the former Georgia standout. Although the deal fell through, fortune favored San Francisco as Williams remained available at No. 11.
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"Mykel was that guy for us," Lynch said. "What do we like? I think we love the fact he's played in the best conference, in Georgia, a program that really develops tough, really skilled football players. If you've been to one of their practices, it's extremely physical, and so he's been through that. He's battle-tested in that way.
"We've seen the versatility. It's not just projected versatility. We've seen him play all over their defensive line. He was 20 years old when we drafted him, so the best is yet to come. Despite his youth, when you're around Mykel, there's a maturity, there's a wisdom, there's a comfort in his own skin that just made it feel like he's one of us.
"We were thrilled to have him, and I think it's only going to get better with Mykel, and it's already pretty darn good."
Lynch then turned his attention to Collins, the second-round pick out of Texas. The 49ers believe Collins possesses the ideal size and playmaking ability to become a key contributor on their defensive front. However, in college, the defensive tackle had to wait for his chance to shine.
"It was came later for Alfred," Lynch explained. "He had really good players in front of him, so it wasn't until that senior year he made a really, really nice push, and played some huge big-time football for Texas. They obviously had a tremendous year.
"A really big man who can move, and gives us some range inside that we feel is going to be a real good fit for our scheme."
With Williams and Collins expected to be part of the defensive rotation early, the 49ers are optimistic that these two rookies can become foundational pieces as they look to rebound in 2025.