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49ers: Ranking Positional Priorities for the 2017 NFL Draft

By Nicholas McGee

Feb 9, 2017; Santa Clara, CA, USA; San Francisco 49ers general manager John Lynch, head coach Kyle Shanahan and chief executive officer Jed York pose for a photo during a press conference at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 9, 2017; Santa Clara, CA, USA; San Francisco 49ers general manager John Lynch, head coach Kyle Shanahan and chief executive officer Jed York pose for a photo during a press conference at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports /
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Aug 20, 2016; Denver, CO, USA; The Denver Broncos offensive line squares up against the San Francisco 49ers defensive line in the first quarter at Sports Authority Field at Mile High. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports
Aug 20, 2016; Denver, CO, USA; The Denver Broncos offensive line squares up against the San Francisco 49ers defensive line in the first quarter at Sports Authority Field at Mile High. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports /

10. Interior Defensive Line

The interior defensive line class in this draft is not good and the 49ers probably have enough depth up front for at least the coming season.

Earl Mitchell will likely be slated to play the 1-technique in the Niners’ 4-3 defense while Quinton Dial and Chris Jones figure to be in the rotation in the trenches, too.

The transition from a 3-4 has led to questions surrounding where DeForest Buckner and Arik Armstead will play, and there is a strong chance one of them will serve as the interior pass rusher at the 3-technique spot next to Mitchell.

But at 29 it is unrealistic to expect Mitchell to serve as the long-term answer in the middle and, even in a poor class, it would be no surprise to see the 49ers take a rookie to mould to eventually take over from him.