Mykel Williams as a potential sack leader, Upton Stout for interceptions, and Nick Martin cleaning up tackles for the 49ers, according to ESPN’s projections
On Wednesday, we reviewed ESPN’s projections for the San Francisco 49ers in 2025. Mike Clay took it a step further and compiled how each rookie compares. Three Niners made the list.
Upton Stout was one. The Niners’ final pick of the third round was tied for third among all rookies in interception projections. Stout broke up 18 passes during his collegiate career and had six interceptions. Four of those came in 2022, where Stout spent most of his time out wide at cornerback.
The best-case scenario would be if the 49ers slid Deommodore Lenoir inside and funneled targets toward Renardo Green, with Stout playing on the perimeter. Robert Saleh could mix up his coverages and provide Help for Stout to the point where his stature shouldn’t hurt him.
Clay has Mykel Williams tied for the rookie lead in sacks with Abdul Carter and his college teammate Jalon Walker at six:
Rookies are averaging a total of 107.2 sacks per season over the past decade, with a high of 130.0 in 2019 and low of 71.5 in 2020 during that span. First-year players totaled a weak 84.5 sacks in 2024.
In fact, Rams defensive tackle Braden Fiske led all first-years with 8.5 sacks last season, but only three others reached 5.0 (Miami’s Chop Robinson and Denver’s duo of Dondrea Tillman and Jonah Elliss). Micah Parsons’ 13.0 sacks in 2021 were the most by a rookie over the past decade, and only four other freshmen reached double digits in that span. Four of the five players to crack double-digit sacks were first-rounders, with fourth-round pick Maxx Crosby being the exception.
That’s notable since the only five first-round edge rushers drafted in 2025 are listed above. None are expected to clear 6.5 sacks, yet their projections would rank in the top 20 among first-round picks over the past decade.
Williams never had more than five sacks in a season during his three years at Georgia. However, he’d be playing a different technique with the 49ers and, in theory, would have more opportunities to get home with Nick Bosa playing on the other side.
Nick Martin is projected to have 58 tackles, which would be second among all rookies at any position:
An off-ball linebacker usually leads the rookie class in tackles, but Campbell was the only one selected in the first round. He has to battle Zack Baun — and Nakobe Dean, once he’s back from a knee injury — for snaps. Instead, Martin is our top projected tackler at the position, as the third-rounder should carve out a role next to Fred Warner in San Francisco.
Martin against Dee Winters will be one of the better training camp battles we have. He’s not guaranteed to start next to Fred Warner. At the same time, just because Martin doesn’t begin the season as a starter doesn’t mean he won’t finish as one — especially given Winters’ propensity to end up on the injury report.
Warner-Winters-Martin’s speed on the field at the same time should drastically improve the run defense on early downs. Athleticism is where the 49ers made their hay a few years ago when Warner played with Azeez Al-Shaair and Dre Greenlaw on base downs.