49ers’ brass relieved top pick Mykel Williams fell out of top 10
SANTA CLARA — On the eve of his ninth NFL Draft as the 49ers’ coach, Kyle Shanahan confided in his wife, Mandy, and their three kids about his ideal pick.
“I told them, ‘Mykel, but I don’t think he’s going to be there,’” Shanahan told the media Thursday night. “My wife calls me this morning and says she read a mock draft where he was going 28th and she was worried we were dead wrong about everything. We had a good idea he was going earlier.”
Defensive end Mykel Williams went No. 11 overall to a 49ers defense desperately seeking help, more of which will come via the team’s 10 remaing picks rover the draft’s final two days.
General manager John Lynch confirmed he was so antsy to pursue Williams that he attempted to trade up with an unnamed team, stating: “We tried and thank god they took someone else because he was still there.”
Only one defensive end went in the top 10 — Abdul Carter, to the New York Giants at No. 3 overall.
Williams became the second, much to his delight after making what he considered a sincere connection with the 49ers during an April 7 pre-draft visit.
“He came through on a visit and we really got a feel for the kid and all of that led us to him being a Niner,” Lynch said after reeling off every compliment imaginable about a first-round defensive end. “He fits who we are and we pounced when he was there.”
Added Shanahan: “We stuck there and waited for our guy, and we got the guy we wanted.”
Williams was also a wanted man by the two men who’ll more directly coach him: defensive coordinator Robert Saleh and defensive line coach Kris Kocurek, the latter of whom told Lynch that Williams was the best edge setter in college football last season. That element is key for a defense that got uncharacteristically gashed in the run game last season, leading to their 6-11 finish.
“That’s the premise and hallmark in what we want from an edge guy. He does it extremely well,” Lynch said. “He plays outside, can come inside in the sub-rush packages and rush over guards.”
The goal now is to turn Williams loose on a defensive front that is still anchored by Nick Bosa but certainly needs another dynamic pass rusher.
Added Lynch: “He has a lot of upside. He can rush with power. He’s a good enough athlete where he has some wiggle. He’s extremely proficient when they run games. For as big of an athlete, he’s got a really good stop/start, and when a quarterback changes directions, he can do that really well. He’s got a lot of attributes and he has to put them all together.”
“It’s awesome when you see a guy the more you watch him, the better he gets,” Shanahan said. “When you see how he uses his length and arms, that doesn’t jump off the tape right away.
“When Nick was at Ohio State, you don’t appreciate him the first time you watch him, but the more you watch, you realize how much of a ninja he is with his hand placement. That is how Mykel grows on you, too. I knew he was good but he’s a lot better than I thought. To have that versatility, it can help us a lot, and to be physical in the run guy, that’s what the guy we’ve hoped for, for a while.”
Williams is giddy over the prospect of playing under Saleh and alongside Bosa, among others.
“After my (April 7) visit, I felt we had a great connection. I connected well with the whole staff. It went great,” Williams said. “We talked ball, we toured the facility. I ended up here so it’s a blessing.
“I’m excited to play for Coach Saleh and play in his scheme,” Williams added. “He lets the front do what the front does, which is rush, set edges and play the run. I’m excited to play with the great players I’ll be with like Nick Bosa. I can’t wait.”