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San Francisco 49ers: 5 Players Who Exceeded Expectations in 2015

By Peter Panacy

November 8, 2015; Santa Clara, CA, USA; San Francisco 49ers outside linebacker Aaron Lynch (59) and defensive end Arik Armstead (91) celebrate during the first quarter against the Atlanta Falcons at Levi's Stadium. The 49ers defeated the Falcons 17-16. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
November 8, 2015; Santa Clara, CA, USA; San Francisco 49ers outside linebacker Aaron Lynch (59) and defensive end Arik Armstead (91) celebrate during the first quarter against the Atlanta Falcons at Levi's Stadium. The 49ers defeated the Falcons 17-16. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports /
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August 23, 2015; Santa Clara, CA, USA; San Francisco 49ers defensive end Arik Armstead (69) rushes Dallas Cowboys tackle John Wetzel (61) during the second quarter at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
August 23, 2015; Santa Clara, CA, USA; San Francisco 49ers defensive end Arik Armstead (69) rushes Dallas Cowboys tackle John Wetzel (61) during the second quarter at Levi’s Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports /

Defensive End Arik Armstead

2015 Statistics

Another cast member of the 49ers defensive line who impressed in 2015 is rookie defensive end Arik Armstead, who came on strong during the second half of the season.

Armstead, San Francisco’s first-round pick from last season’s draft, never started a game but ended up seeing 384 snaps over the course of the year. His role increased dramatically when the 49ers lost defensive tackle Glenn Dorsey (knee) for the season.

Pro Football Focus gave the rookie a plus-14.0 grade on the season, which ranks No. 2 among all San Francisco defenders.

Not bad for a rookie. Not bad at all.

But what makes Armstead such an intriguing prospect is his ability to use his strength to his advantage and disrupt the pocket. Just take a look at these two clips of his performance from Week 17:

The second video shows Armstead’s ability to disrupt the pocket, which forces the ball-carrier to cut right into a tackle for a loss.

Armstead will likely see his role increase next season. And that’s promising given what was seen out of the first-round investment and his production this year.

Next: NaVorro Bowman