49ers select SEC pass-rusher with first-round NFL Draft pick

This offseason, the San Francisco 49ers lost multiple key defensive starters in free agency due to cap space constraints.

Therefore, selecting former Georgia pass rusher Mykel Williams 11th overall in the 2025 NFL Draft made sense. An ankle injury hampered Williams's 2024 campaign, but he still managed 8.5 tackles for loss, five sacks and 21 tackles.

Depth was an issue for San Francisco last season, as injuries to multiple key players led to a last-place finish in the NFC West with a 6-11 record. EDGE Nick Bosa led the defense with nine sacks, accounting for 25% of the team's sack production. The 49ers were 24th in the NFL in sacks last season with 36.

At 6-foot-5 and 265 pounds, Williams is a powerful and lengthy pass rusher who can consistently disrupt. Will Johnson seemed to be a potential fit with the 49ers, but injuries were a concern with the former Michigan cornerback.

With the secondary a work in progress, it's monumental for the Niners to create problems at the line of scrimmage for opposing offenses. San Francisco can return to dominant form on the defensive side with Bosa and Williams on the edges,

It is not only a safe pick by the 49ers' front office but also a selection that is as close to a guarantee in terms of production and effectiveness. With 11 more picks in the draft, look for San Francisco to be aggressive and trade up multiple times to address other areas of need.

The offensive line continues to be a void that the 49ers must look to strengthen at some point in this draft, but adding a premier pass rusher like Williams is not a bad start for a team entering a re-tooling season.