We are only one day of the draft of the NFL 2025, and there is still no consensus on what the 49ers of San Francisco will do with the overall choice n ° 11, with simulated projects always showing variable results.
However, with the draft day getting closer and closer, it seems that the 49ers focus on the trenches with their first choice, the defensive line being the more likely choice, taking into account the available options.
San Francisco needs defensive line players inside and on the edge after released Javon Hargrave, Maliek Collins and Leonard Floyd this offseason.
The 49ers were regularly based on a strong depth along the defensive line, which had been at the heart of their defense under the coordinator Robert Saleh. And, they could add to this at the start of the project at No. 11.
San Francisco has been presented for its defensive line game in recent years, as well as its development of defensive line players because they have obtained the production of unexpected sources to strengthen their rotation.
But should they really trust them with their development of a defensive line? Assess their history.
Defensive line editors the 49ers helped improve
San Francisco was a certain success with development with rotation pieces, such as Charles Omenihu, Jordan Willis, Kerry Hyder, Samson Ebukam and Clelin Ferrell.
Omenihu had its season in small groups in 2022, reaching seven bags in 17 games, while ranking second in the team with 62 pressures and a Pass-Rush victory rate of 16.4%, according to Pro Football Focus.
He then obtained an agreement of $ 20 million over two years with the Kansas City chiefs and further improved, recording eight bags before undergoing an injury.
Willis was a piece of rotation that totaled 25 pressures and 5.5 bags in two seasons, while being a solid defender. Hyder had a career summit of 8.5 in 2020 along a defensive line 49ers exhausted, while having 55 pressures in a team.
Ebukam had 95 pressures and 9.5 bags in two seasons with the 49ers, which were his two best in the pros. But, he really broke out in 2023, reaching 9.5 bags with the colts after signing there in a free agency.
And Ferrell had 30 pressures and 3.5 bags, while being a solid defender of the 49ers in 2023.
But, for solid microphones and repair projects, there were also a few failures. Let’s look at the history of the San Francisco project.
Writing of defensive lines editors
Although the 49ers had had some success with the players in rotation, they were not so successful in the draft.
Now the rusher of Star Nick Bosa passes was undoubtedly a success. But, there was also a prospect not to be missed which would have gone n ° 1 in total if the quarterrier Kyler Murray was not a great need for the Cardinals of Arizona.
Elsewhere, here is the list of defensive line players that the 49ers have been written since 2017:
From Solomon Thomas (1st round in 2017)
DT DJ Jones (6th round in 2017)
DT Kentavius Street (4th round in 2018)
DT Julian Taylor (7th round in 2018)
Dt Javon Kinlaw (1st round in 2020)
By Drake Jackson (2nd round in 2022)
DT Kalia Davis (6th round in 2022)
By Robert Beal (5th round in 2023)
Looking at this group, there is really only one real blow on eight possible players: Jones in 2017.
The 49ers fulminated on Thomas, Kinlaw and Jackson, who were all choices of draft in the first or second round. And they could not withdraw much (still) from their other recruits, which all had to be rotation pieces.
So, given the background of the 49ers, I am not sure that the coach of the defensive line Kris Kocurek is beneficiary of the doubt here with regard to development.
And if there is something that analysts have said about this defensive line class, it is the need for development.
Shemar Stewart from Texas A & M and Mykel Williams from Georgia did not have an elite production at university. Georgia Walker milestone is a hybrid player whose position at the next level is not clear.
Walter Nolen of Ole Miss has all the talent, but there are character problems. James Pearce Jr. of Tennessee also has an average turn and certain concerns of character.
The 49ers could very well obtain their defensive tightening sets or their defensive end during the first round of this project. But, their history and their difficulties by writing the position are certainly concerns before a crucial project for the future of the team.
