The San Francisco 49ers made Mykel Williams the 11th overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. The Georgia product was the second edge rusher off the board and is looking for a fast start to his NFL career.
Five-time Pro Bowl defensive end Nick Bosa recently spoke about the rookie edge defender and is excited about Williams’ future.
Can Mykel Williams and Nick Bosa Become a Formidable Duo for San Francisco 49ers?
The 49ers’ defense struggled in 2024. The unit finished 26th in PFSN’s Defense+ metric after being in the top 10 the year before. 26th is San Francisco’s lowest rating since the metric began.
Run defense was a huge weakness last season. The 49ers were 28th in EPA per rush and 25th in rushing success rate. Unlike past years, they couldn’t prop that up with an effective pass defense, where they ranked 25th in success rate.
Bosa led the team with 9 sacks, but decreased his total for the second straight season. He totaled 10 1/2 in 2023 after leading the NFL with 18 1/2 in 2022 en route to being named Defensive Player of the Year and a first-team All-Pro.
Leonard Floyd was second with 8 1/2 sacks and took his talents to the Atlanta Falcons. The bottom line is that the defensive line could not get off the field on critical downs.
Enter Williams, who measured 6’5 1/8″, 260 pounds with a 34 3/8″ arm length at the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine. That is ideal of a body type as NFL teams want for edge rushers, and San Francisco is hoping Williams can step right into a starting role.
Bosa recently spoke about Williams during the team’s OTA schedule, and ESPN 49ers writer Nick Wagoner tweeted his comments.
Bosa said, “#49ers DE Nick Bosa on rookie DE Mykel Williams: “He’s got a lot of talent, a lot of eagerness to learn, more so than I’ve seen probably from any young guy. He just wants to learn as much as he can and I’m excited to give all the knowledge I can to him. I think he’s got a ton of talent. So, the sky is the limit.”
#49ers DE Nick Bosa on rookie DE Mykel Williams:
“He’s got a lot of talent, a lot of eagerness to learn, more so than I’ve seen probably from any young guy. He just wants to learn as much as he can and I’m excited to give all the knowledge I can to him. I think he’s got a ton…
— Nick Wagoner (@nwagoner) June 4, 2025
Williams’ Steady Impact Could Be Crucial for 49ers’ Defense
Williams was one of two big-name edge rushers to come out of Georgia in this year’s draft. Jalon Walker got more media attention in the pre-draft process, but ended up being picked after Williams at No. 15.
Williams was a consistent producer in his three years at Georgia. He posted 14 sacks in those, with his best year coming in the Bulldogs’ national championship 2022 campaign.
In 15 games, he totaled 28 tackles and seven for loss to go along with his 4 1/2 sacks. In just 12 games last season, he totaled 21 tackles, nine for loss, and two pass breakups. The numbers aren’t flashy, but Williams’ consistency is key.
If he becomes an effective pass rusher, it would free up Bosa and could spark a resurgence in the six-year veteran. Bosa is very excited to have Williams in the fold.