Will the 49ers Draft a Defensive End in Round 1 of the NFL Draft?

The best player the 49ers released this offseason was Leonard Floyd. Now, they need to draft someone to replace him.

Sep 3, 2022; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Georgia Bulldogs defensive lineman Mykel Williams (13) rushes the passer against the Oregon Ducks in the second quarter at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

The best player the 49ers released this offseason was Leonard Floyd.

In his one season with the 49ers, he recorded 8.5 sacks. He's one of the most consistent pass rushers in the NFL. And yet, the 49ers cut him because he's a one-trick pony. Meaning he's a liability against the run as a defensive end in the Wide 9 front. So he had to go.

Now, the 49ers need to draft someone to replace him.

Realistically, they could find an explosive pass-rush specialist in Rounds 2 or 3, someone similar to Leonard Floyd but much younger and cheaper. Or, they could draft a true three-down defensive end in Round 1.

I'm thinking they'll go with the second option. Because they wanted a pass-rush specialist, they could have kept Floyd.

The 49ers will have plenty of options in Round 1. They could take Marshall's Mike Green. He's a good run defender and a refined pass rusher with an explosive first step, but he's also a one-year wonder who has been accused of sexual assault twice, so he's risky.

They could take Tennessee's James Pearce Jr. He has been one of college football's best edge rushers each of the past two seasons, but he's tall and lanky like Leonard Floyd, whom the 49ers just released last month.

They could take Texas A&M's Shemar Stewart. He's arguably the most athletic defensive end in the draft, but he's a full-blown project, so he's risky, too.

Or, the 49ers could take Georgia's Mykel Williams.

Williams might not turn out to be the best defensive end in this draft, but he almost certainly won't be a bust. He's as safe of a pick as there is for the 49ers. And that's because he's just a terrific football player -- has been since he was a starter as a freshman on a National Championship team. He's not a one-year wonder or a one-trick pony.

Williams is outstanding against the run and has the length, power and agility to become a double-digit-sack guy as well. He's built similarly to a young Aldon Smith.

If I were making the pick, I would take Williams.