The 49ers made the move during Thursday night's 2025 NFL Draft to bolster their defensive line and get a young, talented player who can complement edge rusher Nick Bosa.
That move is long overdue, as the 49ers have mostly concentrated on adding players at other positions over the past five years.
The 49ers remained at No. 11 overall and selected Georgia edge rusher Mykel Williams, who registered 14 sacks over his three college football seasons.
The 49ers have not added an impactful defensive end in the draft since Bosa was the No. 2 overall selection in 2019.
From 2015 to 2020, the 49ers selected defensive linemen five times in the first round: Arik Armstead, DeForest Buckner, Solomon Thomas, Bosa and Javon Kinlaw.
The only defensive linemen chosen within the first 10 selections were Abdul Carter to the New York Giants at No. 3 and Mason Graham to Cleveland at No. 5.
San Francisco 49ers
The top part of the draft set up nicely for the 49ers to get their guy.
Williams was the 49ers' choice on Thursday night over other defensive ends, such as Jalon Walker, Shemar Stewart, Mike Green and James Pearce.
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Williams separated himself with physical tools to go along with his character and leadership. He has the ability to play at several spots along the defensive line, which should be a nice chess piece for defensive coordinator Robert Saleh in his first season back with the 49ers.
Williams had roughly the same measurables as another top defensive end, Texas A&M's Stewart, but with more production in college. Stewart managed just 4.5 sacks over his three seasons.
Williams (6-foot-5, 260 pounds) has 34 3/8-inch arms and ran the 40-yard dash in 4.77 seconds at his pro day.
He is expected to immediately slot in as a starting defensive end and a three-down player. He has the size and strength to set the edge. Veteran Yetur Gross-Matos has been penciled in as the starting defensive end up to this point in the offseason.
The 49ers had a competent veteran player on the other side of Bosa last season. Defensive end Leonard Floyd gave San Francisco about what it expected. Floyd registered 8.5 sacks in the first season of a two-year, $20 million contract.
However, the 49ers parted ways with Floyd after just one season in a cost-cutting move. He immediately signed a one-year, $10 million deal with the Atlanta Falcons.
The only time the 49ers have taken a swing with a selection within the first two days of the draft was in 2022 with USC defensive end Drake Jackson.
Jackson registered six sacks in 23 games with the 49ers in 2022 and ’23 before going on injured reserve with a knee and quadriceps condition. He was unable to play last season and his future remains uncertain, as he enters the final year of his contract.
The 49ers entered the draft woefully thin at defensive end.
Gross-Matos is likely to move inside to rush the passer in nickel situations. Those competing for spots in the rotation at defensive end include Robert Beal Jr. and Sam Okuayinonu.
