Why the 49ers Love Mykel Williams as an Interior Pass Rusher

Numerous traits about rookie defensive end Mykel Williams convinced the San Francisco 49ers to draft him No. 11 overall.

One of those traits is his versatility. The 49ers envision Williams sliding over to the interior on pass-rushing downs. That way, they can bring Bryce Huff out on the edge.

Williams has some experience rushing from the interior, but he didn’t spend a tremendous amount of snaps there.

The 49ers see something in Williams that makes them love him as an interior pass rusher. On Tuesday, Robert Saleh vividly explained why the 49ers love Williams there.

San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh speaks to the media.. — Jun 11, 2025; Santa Clara, CA, USA; San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh speaks to the media following a team OTA at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: D. Ross Cameron-Imagn Images | D. Ross Cameron-Imagn Images

“He’s got great feet. He's kind of awkward because he's long, he's tall. He's not a traditional three technique. So, he's got great foot speed, strength, power, and length,” Saleh said. “He’s shifty. He can get outside his frame. It’s different for guards to go against a guy like him. He's so good with his hands.

“He's so good with his feet. He plays with great pad level, he's got power. So, he's a three-way player. He can run around you, he can run through you, he can counter, he's showing all of it off. He still has a long way to go. He's going to be a good football player in this league. It may not come this year, but you could see it through practice that this kid, once he gets it, it’s going to be special.”

If it wasn’t clear before, it’s clear by now that Saleh played a significant role in the 49ers' drafting Williams. That whole answer about Williams’ fit as an interior rusher was Saleh raving and ranting about him.

The 49ers truly believe the sky is the limit for Williams. That’s why Saleh didn’t want to place a specific player comparison on him, like how Trent Williams did by linking him to DeForest Buckner.

Mykel Williams, DE, Georgia was selected 11th overall by the San Francisco 49ers. — Mykel Williams, DE, Georgia was selected 11th overall by the San Francisco 49ers during the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft at Lambeau Field on April 24, 2025 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. | Mark Hoffman / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Doing so places a cap on what he can be. Saleh would rather Williams show it on the field and be great on his own.

It’s easy to tell why the 49ers love Williams overall. He’s reportedly been fantastic during OTAs and training camp.

He’s picking the brains of all the veterans and is asking the right questions. All of the tips and coaching points have been resonating with him.

With how the 49ers speak about him, you would think there’s no way he doesn’t live up to the hype. But there should be a little skepticism, especially this year as a rookie.

He may need some time before he can become impactful, which is why Saleh mentioned it might take him all of 2025 to figure it out.

The 49ers are okay with that and happily rolled the dice on the bigger picture with Williams.

He is a player who is helping to make 2025 a vastly intriguing one for the 49ers.

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