NFL.com has the 49ers selecting Derrick Harmon at No. 11, a disruptive Oregon DT who could be next in line after DeForest Buckner and Arik Armstead. His 2025 NFL combine numbers may make you a fan already
One disappointing thing is the San Francisco 49ers pass rush. After 2024, it was clear they needed to do something to put someone opposite Nick Bosa, or they wouldn’t get the quarterback as much as they’d want.
That’s where today’s mock draft comes in from NFL.com’s Gennaro Filice. He has the 49ers returning to the Oregon Ducks since that has worked so well in the past (Arik Armstead and DeForest Buckner) and taking defensive tackle Derrick Harmon. A player who has had rising stock since his ridiculous NFL Combine performance:
Looking at San Francisco’s current depth chart, it’s shocking how unimposing the defensive line appears on paper. Yeah, the group is headlined by Nick Bosa, but beyond the perennial Defensive Player of the Year candidate, where’s the beef? The Niners are particularly thin on the interior. So let’s give them a scheme-versatile D-lineman out of Oregon — remember Arik Armstead, 49er Faithful? — who has drawn the kind of subtle-yet-consistent praise throughout the pre-draft process that makes me believe he could go surprisingly high.
I remember Arik Armstead, I remember DeForest Buckner, and I remember the holes left by those two Oregon alumni.
The more I read on Harmon, the more I like him. His being a Duck, when they have been very helpful to the 49ers defensive line, also helps. He’s 6 foot 5 inches, 315 pounds, and ran a 40-yard dash in 4.95 seconds. That’s just stupid. He can play multiple positions, so when the 49ers decide to do their yearly “drop the D-lineman in coverage” play, he might also make it look somewhat serviceable.
My issue is going to be his pass-rushing technique. He’s a strong guy, but that alone isn’t getting him to the top of the NFL. He also has a high pad level. That doesn’t concern me much because I know another defensive lineman who struggled with that: DeForest Buckner.
I’d be down for Harmon, but at 11, that’s really where I’m skittish. The 49ers need either an offensive or a defensive lineman, and Harmon can fit the bill for the latter. His stock is rising largely from his terrific NFL Combine performance, which makes me a bit skeptical. If the 49ers could find a way to trade back a few spots and get him in the teens, I’d be all for that. Then again, if he’s going to go late in the first round like some suggest, the 49ers could trade back into the first round to get him.
Or take him at 11. Do you think that’s too much of a reach?