The San Francisco 49ers took a big step to reclaiming their status as the best defense in the NFL on Thursday when they selected Georgia Bulldogs edge rusher Mykel Williams with the No. 11 pick.
Fans were instantly celebrating, and they weren't the only ones. 49ers defensive leader Malik Mustapha weighed in immediately with a perfect one-word response:
BOOM‼️ #FTTB
— Malik Mustapha 🇳🇬 (@_malikmustapha) April 25, 2025
The swagger and attitude on this 49ers defense helps set them apart, and you love to see a budding young star like Mustapha so excited about the addition. And can you blame him? Having Nick Bosa and Mykel Williams on the edge will make the secondary's job a lot easier, since opposing QBs will have no time to throw.
Williams is a rare edge rushing prospect who already brings a fairly complete game, too. His run defense is much better than you often see from a young athletic EDGE, and he has all the tools to be a top-tier pass-rusher at the next level. Plus, his game is complete enough to slot in as an immediate Day 1 starter.
This doesn't address arguably San Francisco's biggest need on defense (expect at least one defensive tackle to be brought in before the weekend is through), but with a first-round pick you should be going for upside, not just trying to plug a hole.
With Robert Saleh back in charge, Williams is also positioned to get the coaching he needs to live up to the hype.
Just like Mustapha, 49ers fans will be cheering about this pick for a while. If only we could fast-forward to September now.