It's bluntly clear the San Francisco 49ers' 2025 first-round selection of defensive end Mykel Williams was purely influenced by then-defensive coordinator Robert Saleh.
With Saleh gone, the task of getting the most out of Williams now falls upon the Niners' next defensive coordinator, Raheem Morris, who has to be viewed as a godsend for the former Georgia Bulldog.
True, Williams' return to action after suffering a torn ACL midway through his rookie campaign is up in the air, and there's no doubt that injury hampered his development, not to mention how opponents began focusing attention on him after All-Pro Nick Bosa suffered his own ACL tear back in Week 3.
That said, Morris' own pedigree and scheme should fully unlock the budding defensive end once he's cleared to return.
And there's plenty of evidence to suggest why.
Raheem Morris is an absolute gift for Mykel Williams
Williams entered the league as a well-established run defender whose pass-rush prowess needed some refinement. One sack and four pressures over nine games before his ACL tear reinforces that notion.
That said, Morris' scheme should put the second-year pro into credible positions to win as a pass-rusher, particularly on the interior on third downs, which is something Niners Nation's Kyle Posey pointed out in detail:
"One way to ensure Bosa rushes the passer is by walking down a linebacker to the edge. In today’s NFL, this is known as a “Penny” front, and it’s something Morris has been doing for years. In Atlanta, he used Kaden Elliss as their adjuster in base packages. Morris did the same with Ernest Jones when he was in Los Angeles. These players can moonlight as edge rushers.
The adjuster for the 49ers was Dee Winters in 2025, who lined up on the edge 78 times last season. ...
This front all but ensures Winters, Mykel, and Bosa all get 1-on-1 opportunities. Hiring Morris could end up being one of the most beneficial things to happen for the 49ers’ first-round pick from 2025. The majority of Williams’ rushes should come from the interior under Morris with a runway. You can’t ask for a better setup.
I was wondering who would be the 3-technique and how much the 49ers would need to invest in a defensive tackle this offseason, but that player is already on the roster. It’s just a matter of how quickly Williams will develop in Year 2."
It already seems as if Morris' onboarding was intended toward getting the most out of Williams as a pass-rusher, at least based upon what Posey argued.
There'll be other notable changes, too, specifically in terms of blitz packages and percentages, of which Morris needed more in Atlanta yet Saleh was reluctant to do until late in the season.
Still, it's hard to view the primary beneficiary of Morris' presence as anyone else but San Francisco's top-drafted player from 2025.
Should the coordinator's presence fully unlock Williams, the 49ers defense will appear night and day in contrast to what it was a year ago.