Mykel Williams couldn't have gone to a better situation than with the 49ers, at least according to one notable ESPN analyst.
While it's important for teams to draft good football players, it's perhaps just as important for those players to wind up in good fits.
The San Francisco 49ers have sometimes adhered to this, sometimes not. In 2017, they used the No. 3 overall draft pick on former Stanford defensive end Solomon Thomas but opted to play him on the outside instead of where he was more naturally suited, on the interior, which influenced the Niners' top choice that year never coming close to living up to his full potential.
Eight years later, San Francisco hopes its 2025 top pick, Georgia defensive end Mykel Williams, winds up being a perfect fit in a perfect situation.
Taken at No. 11 overall, Williams is seen as an instant run-stopping edge defender who still has plenty of room to grow in the pass-rush department, given he's just 20 years old.
Even though the 49ers underwent a massive roster overhaul during the offseason, particularly with their defensive line, it's easy to see why Williams should fit in perfectly.
And one ESPN analyst feels it couldn't be better for the 6-foot-5 defender.
ESPN lauds 49ers as a perfect fit for Mykel Williams
ESPN's Matt Bowen went through the best-fit results for all players drafted from Rounds 1 through 4, and not surprisingly, he saw Williams going to the Niners at No. 11 overall as the ideal scenario.
Of the selection, Bowen wrote:
"Under new defensive coordinator Robert Saleh, Williams fits as a three-down defender in San Francisco's 40 front. Saleh can create a launch pad for Williams as a pass rusher from wide-nine alignments, which should put him in a position to win with speed-to-power opposite Nick Bosa. Plus, I can see Saleh scheming up some interior matchups. That would allow Williams to use his 6-foot-5 frame and quickness to attack guards in protection.
Williams is an edge setter who will compete at the point of attack, so he's also built for early-down work as a run defender. He needs more development, but the physical tools and play style fit with the 49ers' defensive identity under Saleh."
For starters, Williams doesn't have to be "the guy" right away, as that job goes to Bosa. Williams can contribute right away as a run defender, yes, but he'll also benefit from opponents focusing their attention on the 2022 Defensive Player of the Year.
Saleh's return, which apparently directly influenced San Francisco's defense-heavy draft class, is mutually beneficial, too, and that points to the first-round rookie being a perfect protege to kick off the coordinator's second stint in the Bay Area.
The 49ers wanted Williams so badly in Round 1 that they tried trading up from the 11th overall pick to ensure they got him.
No trade materialized. But, luckily for Saleh and Co., Williams slipped anyway.
As a result, he should end up feeling right at home.