2025 Draft: Edges

Part II of our draft position preview series stays along the defensive line with the (seemingly) never-ending search for Bosa’s running mate at defensive end. Per usual, any number before a player dictates their “consensus big board” ranking. Asterisks (*) by names mark some of my favorite prospect/scheme fits.

Until Leonard Floyd put up 8.5 sacks a year ago, the most successful non-Bosa defensive end–in terms of sacks at least–was Arden Key, who tallied 7 while playing an inside-out hybrid role back in 2021. That’s not great.

Except for the few games Bosa and a healthy Dee Ford played together in 2019, we’ve largely gotten by with a slew of rotational players opposite our star defensive end. If we want to rejuvenate our pass rush, and–when guys get too costly–our comp pick pipeline, we need to develop some homegrown talent at the league’s second-most expensive position.

THE SKILLSET

People hear wide 9 and think first steps and closing speed are all that matter. But that’s not necessarily the case. The Wide 9 gives our linemen extra width and space to generate an advantage on offensive tackles, but how they obtain that advantage can vary by player. Dee Ford got it with an elite first step that outflanked tackles before they could get into their pass sets. Arik Armstead got it through building momentum to use his long arms and power to put blockers on skates. Bosa? Well, it mostly just gives him more space to work one-on-one looks. Once our ends get that advantage, it’s up to them to close down that space–in their proper rush lanes–so that we can collapse the pocket without opening up scrambling lanes for the quarterback.

But the wide 9 is only a part-time alignment. The key to performing well on both the passing downs when we employ it and the earlier downs when we run more traditional formations is to have players who specialize in controlled disruption, regardless of how they may generate it.

THE NEED

An eventual starter-caliber player opposite Bosa and/or rotational pass rush depth. We would happily take both, but may only be able to secure one or the other.

1ST ROUND

Just a reminder, if you’re looking for descriptions of players we may pick at 11, you wanna check out the 1st round preview.

1. Abdul Carter, Penn State
8. Jalon Walker, Georgia
14. Mike Green, Marshall
15. Mykel Williams, Georgia
16. Shemar Stewart, Texas A&M

20. James Pearce Jr., Tennessee
6-4, 245 lbs.
Speed merchant whose bend and technical growth will determine his ceiling

An explosive speed rusher whose testing numbers (4.47 forty, 1.56 10-yard split) match his tape, Pearce has racked up 17.5 sacks over the past two years and a sky-high 23% PWR (2024) to boot. He’s slippery ducking inside of blockers and closes on QBs in a hurry, and he shares a lot of physical similarities with shoe-in top ten picks of the past. But there’s some stiffness in his hips and choppiness in his feet that sometimes prevents him from smoothly running the hoop and finishing, and—in terms of pass rush moves—he’s got to work on his craft. At a lean 245 pounds, the mass and strength concerns that we had with Jalon Walker are certainly present with Pearce. It’s also worth noting that “unnamed sources” have claimed that Pearce was a locker room headache with massive immaturity concerns throughout college. Is there any legitimacy to these claims? Who knows. It could be just pre-draft B.S. But the Niners will do their best to find out through the interview process.

26. Donovan Ezeiruaku, Boston College
6-2.5, 248 lbs.
Bendy, skilled, and productive pass rusher who lacks explosive elements to his game

If Pearce is an explosive athlete with concerns over hip stiffness, Ezeiruaku is the opposite. His first step is mediocre, but he’s got great bend to run the hoop and take down ball carriers once he’s in the backfield, which is where he finds himself quite a bit due to his versatile pass rushing toolkit. However, size and power are issues in his game, and this, combined with his lack of burst, probably means he’s a better fit as a 3-4 rush end than a base end in a four-man front.

NOTE: Defensive End Mike Green out of Marshall is at least worth mentioning here because I actually like his tape quite a lot, but I would presume he’s off our board due to the revelation that he was booted from UVA and his high school over two separate allegations of sexual assault. This was something that he brought up during the combine, and–of course–he states his innocence. Nonetheless, this feels like a landmine to avoid.

2ND ROUND

Once again, don’t take the second and third round dividing lines as gospel. There’s no consensus in this draft and they’re only guidelines for easier visualization.

42. Landon Jackson, Arkansas
6-6, 264 lbs.
Unorthodox athlete with a frame and funky athleticism that somehow both help and hurt his ceiling

Years ago, a video circulated on social media of a lanky high school prospect awkwardly going through a bag drill at a recruiting camp. Well, jokes on us, cause that guy is probably getting taken in the top 50 picks of the NFL draft. Jackson’s a hard prospect to comp because of his high-cut frame and unorthodox movement skills. He’s actually more bendy than you’d guess given his frame, but–despite strong overall athleticism (4.68 forty, 40.5” vertical)–his first step and fluidity are less than ideal. He doesn’t project as an elite pass rusher, but he’s a high-effort and technically sound player with a broad-shouldered frame and a high floor. If he can continue packing weight onto his frame, perhaps his power game can overcome some fluidity issues and his pass rush ceiling winds up higher than expected.

*44. Nic Scourton, Texas A&M
6-3, 257 lbs.
High-motor scrapper with a wrecking ball approach and potentially underrated athleticism

While getting Scourton with our second-round pick would be great, this ranking feels like it could be a touch low. Scourton was listed at 280 this past season but showed up to the combine 23 pounds lighter. In some situations, that’s a bad thing. But in this case, Scourton–who looked more explosive in 2023 while at Purdue and in pre-draft workouts than he did in his one season at A&M–could benefit from the weight loss. So could the team that eventually drafts him.

Scourton is a brawler on the edge, with excellent aggression, good power, and a growing array of pass rush moves to get to the quarterback. While his sacks and QB hits were down from a year ago, he eclipsed 36 or more pressures in each of the past two seasons while totaling a 17% PWR and excellent pass rush grades in his one-year stop in College Station. He feels like a long-time NFL player, and while his lack of testing numbers makes for some guesswork, if he truly is a step more athletic than he showed last year, he could easily outplay his draft position. 

56. JT Tuimoloau, Ohio State
6-4, 265 lbs.
Jack-of-all-trades with a high floor and a nose for the ball

Tuimoloau is solid at everything–a high-floor, two-way performer with good size, good athleticism, and a strong bull rush game as a pass rusher. He’s instinctive in the short and screen game, moves well in space, and is a three-year first-team All-Big Ten selection with a knack for finding the ball. He feels like a safe bet to have a long NFL career and become a starter sooner rather than later, but he hasn’t shown the technical expertise, burst, or bend to project him as a future premier pass rusher.

*59. Jordan Burch, Oregon
6-4, 279 lbs.
A sleeping giant with great power and athleticism, waiting to be awoken

A first-off-the-bus type and the next in a long line of giant Oregon defensive linemen, Burch’s size and athleticism (4.67 forty) present tremendous upside and inside-out versatility. But right now, his traits far outweigh his production. At the moment, he’s basically got one move: physics. When he gets into people’s pads and gets moving, his bull rush can ragdoll blockers, and he is alarmingly quick to close on the ball when that happens. But he needs to be much more consistent at getting blockers in those positions and figure out a counter or two when plan A doesn’t work out. Despite his ten sacks last season, Burch is a bit of a project, but the Niners have a great relationship with the Oregon coaching staff and should know quickly whether he’s wired the right way to maximize his considerable physical talents.  

60. Jack Sawyer, Ohio State
6-4, 260 lbs.
Strong and active run defender who plays hard but lacks pass rush upside

The Buckeyes’ other five-star defensive end from their vaunted 2021 recruiting class, Sawyer had excellent pass rush numbers as a senior, totaling 10 sacks, 26 QB hits, and 64 pressures (good for 4th in FBS). To some, that may point to untapped potential and an ascending pass rusher, but I’m not sure I see it. Sawyer is powerful at the point of attack and–against the run–does a good job of locking out his arms and keeping tackles off his body. But he is a linear, one-trick pony in his rush and lacks the first-step quickness, athleticism, and pass-rush savvy to present much upside in the department. Still, he feels like a long-time pro and a ready-made run defender. But his greatest pass rush contributions may come via hustle plays and clean-up sacks.

64. Princely Umanmielen, Ole Miss
6-4, 244 lbs.
Finesse edge with “gangly noodle alien from Edge of Tomorrow” upside

Long, bendy, agile, and with sneaky stride lengths that eat up space in a hurry, Umanmielen seems like a dude who may need to be a stand-up rusher in a 3-4, in part due to size but also because he just feels like a finesse edge who needs to watch things develop to be at his best. He was super productive in that role this season, with 50 pressures and a top 10 PWR (22.8%), but just isn’t a guy who sets edges and plays with power at the moment. He’s a super interesting prospect with considerable upside once he improves substantially at the point of attack, but he may not be a good scheme fit for us.

3RD ROUND

70. Josaiah Stewart, Michigan 
6-1, 249 lbs.
Undersized edge who wins off quickness, effort, and aggression 

Like other edge prospects of similar stature, Stewart’s lack of size may limit him to a future as a 3-4 OLB, but while he’ll likely have anchor issues in the pros, he plays hard, fast, and aggressive at all times. He’s got a great first step and a good pass rush stem, dipping and ripping and taking advantage of slow-footed tackles with his quickness and approach. Without ideal length or size and good but not great closing speed, he’ll need to add more pass rush moves to his toolkit, but he was massively productive throughout college (30 career sacks), his 27.7% PWR was second best in the country this year, and his mentality should translate well to the pros. 

*73. Bradyn Swinson, LSU
6-4, 255 lbs.
One-year wonder with long-term pass rush potential

A late-bloomer who started only one year in college but made the most of it once he got on the field, Swinson racked up 60 pressures (9th in FBS) and a 22.1% PWR (13th in FBS) this season. With a frame that can likely add more weight, long arms, slick athleticism, and hand usage and instincts that belie his few collegiate starts, Swinson is a one-year wonder with some intriguing pass rush upside, even though there’s a lot of fine-tuning and technique work left in his development.

*78. Oluwafemi Oladejo, UCLA
6-3, 259 lbs.
High upside developmental project who’s shown hints of developing faster than expected

A late-riser whom I thought we could snag in the fourth round but may need to spend more capital on now, Oladejo only moved from off-ball linebacker to edge last fall, so there’s a lot of technique that needs refining and experience that needs to be had before he can become a regular contributor. But the combination of build, length, bend, and athleticism has already produced promising results quicker than anyone could have expected. While there are no guarantees that he’ll put everything together, he seems like a quick study with sky-high upside.

90. Jared Ivey, Ole Miss
6-6, 274 lbs.
Big-bodied power end with inside-out potential if he can clean up his craft

With a massive build and the strength to use it, Ivey can toss his weight around versus both the run and the pass. While lacking great burst, he’s surprisingly nimble for a man of his size, but sometimes he leans too much into it, vacating rush lanes while hunting the quarterback. In general, he’s a guy with the tools to be an excellent power end, but you wanna see it more often. If he can improve his technique and become more disciplined and consistent, he could become a dangerous inside-out threat.

*92. Kyle Kennard, South Carolina
6-4, 254 lbs.
Slender speed rusher with run game holdups but pass rush juice to spare

A lean pass rusher who wins with a quick first step, slipperiness through the hole, and by using his long arms to keep blockers off his body, Kennard’s active hands and athletic profile make for a great pass rush foundation. However, he can get bullied at the point of attack and in the run game, and with his ability to add more weight in question, he’ll need to continue refining his hand technique and develop more counter moves to become a full-time player rather than a pass rush specialist. If he can hang in the run game, the scheme fit and pass rush potential are pretty nice.

DAY 3

INSIDE-OUT THREATS: We love guys who have the size and power to slide inside on passing downs and operate in twists and games. Each of these guys has the prerequisite bulk and play style to rush inside from time-to-time.

• While he lacks the first step and athleticism we typically covet in defensive ends, Ashton Gillotte (Louisville) is a highly productive pass rusher who wins with great power and a relentless motor. He’d need to rein in some wild pursuit angles to solidify himself in the run game, but it’s hard to deny his production (118 pressures over the past two years). (3rd-4th)

• Without ideal speed or bend, there’s some debate on whether Sai’vion Jones (LSU) belongs inside or out, but he’s got a 6-6, 283-pound frame, long-ass arms, and youth (21) on his side as he figures it out. (3rd-4th)

• You want a big power end who could play some inside? How about the 6-4, 285-pound Elijah Roberts (SMU), who uses his strength, long arms, and powerful base to beat up tackles? He’s not the dynamic athlete we typically like on the edge, but his unique build and playstyle could prove valuable, especially if he can genuinely play inside or out. (4th-5th)

• A good athlete with decent size, Tyler Baron (Miami Fl.) doesn’t have great burst or strength but is a slippery pass rusher with experience playing on the edge or condensing inside on passing downs. (6th)

COLLEGE OVERACHIEVERS: Productive college players whose lack of measurables has led them to slip down draft boards. Typically (but not always) lower ceiling players with the technical ability to give them a decent rotational floor.

• At 6-1, 263 pounds with short arms, *David Walker (Central Arkansas) is below some teams’ height and length thresholds (and played on the ugliest football field on planet earth), but he was a dominant FCS performer, totaling 82.5 TFLs and 39 sacks over four years while being named All-American in three straight years. The length concerns are legit, but he is explosive, powerful, and has natural pass-rushing instincts. (4th)

• With back-to-back years of double-digit sacks (for two different programs), Fadil Diggs (Syracuse) is a productive stand-up rusher who would need to learn to play with his hand on the ground. He doesn’t have great burst, but as a big guy (6-4, 257 lbs.) with nearly 34” long arms and sneaky stride lengths that match his 4.57 forty, there’s a lot to work with. (4th-5th)

• The first player from Egypt to ever play FBS football, Ahmed Hassanein (Boise State), didn’t enter the country until 2018 then started playing football a year later. He’s a tough, high-motor guy who put up the third-most pressures in FBS (115) over the past two years. Only a decent athlete, he’s shown fast improvement and probably has a higher ceiling than he’s given credit for due to how new he is to the sport. (6th)

PASS RUSH SPECIALISTS: Their run game impact may be debatable, but they can do the other thing well enough that they could at least become part of a subpackage rush unit.

• Antwaun Powell-Ryland (Virginia Tech) racked up 19 TFLs and 16 sacks as a senior–his second straight year leading the Hokies in both categories. A skilled pass rusher and flexible athlete, his below-average length and (only) above-average burst cap his ceiling a bit, and at 6-2.5, 258 pounds, he could be a liability in the run game. (5th-6th)

• Quick off the ball and powerful through his lower body, Kaimon Rucker (North Carolina) plays stronger than his size (6-0, 254 lbs.) when he can get his base set, but he can get swallowed up when he doesn’t. He’s got a nice pass rush foundation with a few good moves and active hands, but doesn’t have much of a plan when he doesn’t win early. (6th)

DEVELOPMENTAL SWINGS: Toolsy long plays for Kocurek to mold like clay.

• *Jah Joyner (Minnesota) has the size (6-4, 262 lbs.), length (34” arms), and athleticism (4.60 forty) that you want at the position, but his process is predictable and clunky, and he’s still very much a work in progress. Albeit one with impressive upside. (5th)

• A productive FCS product with some intriguing testing scores (1.56 10-yard split, 41” vert) and good length, *Elijah Ponder (Cal Poly) is quick off the ball, uses his hands well, and feels like a good late round flier, even if he tops out as a subpackage pass rusher. (6th-7th)

• An undersized but high-effort player with long arms and good burst, Seth Coleman (Illinois) hasn’t really put the rest of it together, but he’s got some pass rusher potential if he can align his first step with the rest of his game. (UDFA)

BLIND GUESS

I think we want to exit this draft with a defensive end in tow who we think could be the long-term, full-time starter opposite Bosa. He doesn’t have to be that now, but he has to have enough production, experience, and projectable traits for us to feel confident about his trajectory after a year of learning on the job. That probably means we’re picking that dude as early as the first round and as late as the bottom of the third.

If we don’t secure a guy by the end of day 2, expect us to throw multiple bodies at the problem in the later rounds in hopes that we can develop a deep enough rotation that someone will emerge down the road. This is actually a great time for a project player either in the mid-rounds (Oladejo, Swinson) or earlier (Stewart, Williams) because we jettisoned Leonard Floyd specifically to force a rookie to take on major snaps. With our needs at defensive end and at defensive tackle, don’t be shocked if we use the meme approach. Spending four of our first six or seven picks on the DL isn’t wildly unrealistic. Nor is it necessarily a bad thing.

Go Niners 🏈👍