The key to success is a constant pass rush. The 49ers need to hit on the defensive line in the draft.
Pick 11 is a prime spot to draft an impact defensive lineman to help anchor the group alongside Nick Bosa. The team moved on from Javon Hargrave, Leonard Floyd, and Maliek Collins, making room for a new group of defensive tackles and EDGE players. Yetur Gross-Matos, Evan Anderson, Kevin Givens, and others figure to contribute as rotational pieces. Still, the draft presents an opportunity to grab a young, three-down player in the first round.
The belief in Robert Saleh’s return as defensive coordinator and Kris Kocurek’s work developing talent on the defensive line is the driving force of optimism, as the San Francisco 49ers will likely address the position multiple times in the 2025 draft. The wide-nine defensive scheme is a hotly debated topic amongst fans, as defensive tackles function as space eaters, allowing EDGE players to gain advantageous one-on-one matchups.
In 2019, the 49ers had an all-star defensive line of Bosa, Arik Armstead, DeForest Buckner, and Dee Ford. The star power up front allowed the team to rush four and keep seven on the back end with little need to blitz opposing quarterbacks. That formula was duplicated by the Philadelphia Eagles in the Super Bowl as the defensive line helped the Eagles roll to a Lombardi against the Kansas City Chiefs.
Fast forward to 2025, the team will have talented options but will need to get creative with their pass rush. Bosa is the constant, but without significant strides from other players, an impact defensive line prospect is a must in the first round. The team has been searching for three-down defensive tackles since Buckner and Armstead departed for Indianapolis and Jacksonville.
Mason Graham and Kenneth Grant from Michigan, Derrick Harmon from Oregon, Walter Nolen from Mississippi, and Darius Alexander from Toledo all fit the bill as three-down defensive tackles. The team will need to hit on their defensive line picks on day one. The team must get back to its pass-rush roots to lift any defensive failings in 2025.
While it can be classified as unfair to place day-one impact expectations on any prospect, the fact of the matter is that the situation with the defensive line puts any player in a must-play situation. The 49ers can’t afford to draft a “project” on the defensive line.
Whether or not the 49ers select a defensive lineman with their first-round pick remains to be seen. Another uncomfortable truth is aside from Bosa and Brandon Aiyuk, the 49ers have seen very little return on any of their first-round picks under John Lynch and Kyle Shanahan.
Pick 11 has to be an immediate impact player. Preferably a defensive lineman, but starting with any instant contributor at any position is a start. The team can’t sit around and wait for a developing player.