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Draft Analyst Says 49ers DE Mykel Williams Landed in Perfect Situation

Williams is an elite run defender right now.
Grant Cohn|
Sep 16, 2023; Athens, Georgia, USA; South Carolina Gamecocks quarterback Spencer Rattler (7) is hit by Georgia Bulldogs defensive lineman Mykel Williams (13) after throwing the ball during the second half at Sanford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images
Sep 16, 2023; Athens, Georgia, USA; South Carolina Gamecocks quarterback Spencer Rattler (7) is hit by Georgia Bulldogs defensive lineman Mykel Williams (13) after throwing the ball during the second half at Sanford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images | Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

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San Francisco 49ers

The 49ers raised some eyebrows when they drafted Mykel Williams in Round 1 with the 11th pick.

Williams is a defensive end, but he recorded only 14 sacks in college. If he doesn't improve his pass-rush production, the 49ers will face criticism for drafting him so high.

Fortunately for the 49ers, Williams is an elite run defender right now. And that's why The 33rd Team says Williams landed in the perfect situation.

"The 49ers allowed the fourth highest EPA per carry last year and they fixed their run defense with their first two picks," writes The 33rd Team's James Foster. "Mykel Williams is a developmental pass rusher, but is ready to set the edge in the NFL as a rookie. He has a prototypical build for a defensive end with absurd arm length, but can explode off the ball and make sudden lateral cuts to shoot gaps. His sturdy anchor and automatic lock-peek-shed gives him a high floor to contribute on early downs while he develops his pass rush skillset."

"Alfred Collins has a massive, powerful frame and is one of the best run defenders in this class. He rarely gives any ground to double teams and has the length and upper body power to shed blocks violently. Williams and Collins should provide immediate returns on early downs."

If Williams and Collins can shut down the run and force more third-and-longs, Nick Bosa should have a monster year as defensive coordinator Robert Saleh schemes up a pass rush around him.

At least that's the vision.

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Grant Cohn
GRANT COHN

Grant Cohn has covered the San Francisco 49ers daily since 2011. He spent the first nine years of his career with the Santa Rosa Press Democrat where he wrote the Inside the 49ers blog and covered famous coaches and athletes such as Jim Harbaugh, Colin Kaepernick and Patrick Willis. In 2012, Inside the 49ers won Sports Blog of the Year from the Peninsula Press Club. In 2020, Cohn joined FanNation and began writing All49ers. In addition, he created a YouTube channel which has become the go-to place on YouTube to consume 49ers content. Cohn's channel typically generates roughly 3.5 million viewers per month, while the 49ers' official YouTube channel generates roughly 1.5 million viewers per month. Cohn live streams almost every day and posts videos hourly during the football season. Cohn is committed to asking the questions that 49ers fans want answered, and providing the most honest and interactive coverage in the country. His loyalty is to the reader and the viewer, not the team or any player or coach. Cohn is a new-age multimedia journalist with an old-school mentality, because his father is Lowell Cohn, the legendary sports columnist for the San Francisco Chronicle from 1979 to 1993. The two have a live podcast every Tuesday. Grant Cohn grew up in Oakland and studied English Literature at UCLA from 2006 to 2010. He currently lives in Oakland with his wife.

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