49ers First-Round Pick Projected To Win Rookie of the Year Award

The San Francisco 49ers drafted Georgia edge rusher Mykel Williams with the 11th overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.

And he could be an immediate difference maker.

In a recent article from ESPN's Ben Solak, he puts together a list of things to know before the start of the 2025 season. He also gives a couple of his bold predictions, and one he has is that the Niners' first-round pick will win NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year.

"Mykel Williams will win Defensive Rookie of the Year. If the 49ers unleash him as a pass rusher in a way that Georgia never did -- and if his left ankle is healthy -- he has a great pass-rush profile for early success," Solak wrote. "He'll also rarely see double teams opposite Nick Bosa. A 10-plus-sack season is well within the cards."

While he did not rack up stats with the Bulldogs, that is not an uncommon thing for a defensive star coming from Georgia.

Jacksonville Jaguars defensive end Travon Walker, who was the first overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, had just six sacks in his final season at Georgia. Just because these guys aren't getting double-digit sacks does not mean they do not have the talent to do so.

Williams finished his final season with the Bulldogs with five sacks, 21 total tackles, and nine tackles for loss. He was also able to bat down a couple of passes at the line of scrimmage using his wingspan of just under seven feet.

The 11th overall pick might not have racked up video game numbers in college like some other guys, but he could very well have the talent to be one of the best rookies in the NFL this season.