Feb. 4, 2026, 7:45 p.m. PT
The San Francisco 49ers used their first-round pick (No. 11 overall) in the 2025 NFL draft to take Georgia defensive end Mykel Williams with the hopes of really improving their pass rush.
However, the 49ers finished with the fewest sacks in the NFL in 2025, and Williams missed half of the season with a torn ACL, ending his rookie campaign with 20 tackles, three quarterback hits, one sack and one fumble recovery.
Looking back on the draft, San Francisco could’ve taken other players who were much more impactful as rookies. ESPN recently conducted a re-draft for last year, and instead of snagging Williams, the 49ers took Ohio State wide receiver Emeka Egbuka.
“The 49ers had strong interest in [Tet] McMillan around the draft, but he was off the board,” Wagoner wrote. “And though Williams showed promise, Egbuka would have helped stabilize a position that has a lot of question marks. Although Egbuka’s fast start turned into a slow finish, he’d be the best and most proven wideout under contract for the Niners right now.”
Egbuka, 23, appeared in 17 games as a rookie, catching 63 passes for 938 yards and six touchdowns. Obviously, it’s impossible to determine what he would’ve looked like in San Francisco, but those numbers would’ve put him second in receptions, first in yards and fourth in touchdowns with the 49ers in 2025.
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Plus, taking the wide receiver would’ve put the 49ers in a much better spot at the position heading into 2026. However, they probably didn’t know that Brandon Aiyuk wasn’t going to play a single snap in 2025 and essentially tank his way off the roster.
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