San Francisco 49ers: Predicting 2018 starting lineup post Jimmy Garoppolo trade
By Peter Panacy
Defensive Line
Nose Tackle: Earl Mitchell
Left Defensive End (Big End): Solomon Thomas
Right Defensive Tackle: DeForest Buckner
Right Defensive End/LEO: Arden Key (LSU)
San Francisco winds up investing yet another first-round pick in its defensive line this offseason, this time going with LSU edge rusher Arden Key after a proposed drop-down move from a likely top-three pick in Round 1.
Key might not be a top-five prospect in this year’s draft, but he’s arguably the best pure pass-rusher available.
Operating out of the LEO spot — the right defensive end — the Niners’ anemic pass rush would surely get a boost over Arik Armstead (IR, hand), Aaron Lynch (pending free agent, calf) and the veteran, Elvis Dumervil (33 years old).
As far as the rest of the line goes, defensive tackle DeForest Buckner should remain a force, and we can hope rookie defensive end Solomon Thomas’ maturation continues on the same trajectory.
One of the interesting position battles, though, will be between veteran nose tackle Earl Mitchell and 2017 rookie D.J. Jones. Jones might wind up being the long-term option, but one should guess Mitchell ends up the starter at the beginning of 2018.