Niner Noise
FanSided

2018 NFL Draft: Round 1 prospect big board for the 49ers

By Peter Panacy

Michael Crabtree, San Francisco 49ers. (Photo by Jeff Zelevansky/Getty Images)
Michael Crabtree, San Francisco 49ers. (Photo by Jeff Zelevansky/Getty Images) /
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RALEIGH, NC – NOVEMBER 25: Bradley Chubb #9 of the North Carolina State Wolfpack reacts after a win against the North Carolina Tar Heels during their game at Carter Finley Stadium on November 25, 2017 in Raleigh, North Carolina. North Carolina State won 33-21. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images)
RALEIGH, NC – NOVEMBER 25: Bradley Chubb #9 of the North Carolina State Wolfpack reacts after a win against the North Carolina Tar Heels during their game at Carter Finley Stadium on November 25, 2017 in Raleigh, North Carolina. North Carolina State won 33-21. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images) /

Edge Rusher

San Francisco’s defense is vastly improved over last season. But if there’s one pressing area of need, it’s in the pass rush.

After 12 games’ worth of action, the Niners rank 25th in the NFL with 22 sacks on the season. And one of the biggest voids on the roster is an elite-level pass-rusher off the edge.

Defensive tackle DeForest Buckner has provided a solid interior pass rush. But the lack of an edge bender to converge behind opponents’ quarterbacks has limited Buckner’s sack totals this year. With the 49ers’ leading sack leader, Elvis Dumervil, 33 years old and fellow EDGE Aaron Lynch no longer in favor of the team’s coaching staff, this need is pretty apparent.

Round 1 EDGE Big Board

  1. Bradley Chubb, North Carolina State
  2. Arden Key, LSU
  3. Clelin Ferrell, Clemson
  4. Harold Landry, Boston College
  5. Austin Bryant, Clemson

N.C. State’s Bradley Chubb is clearly the highest-touted EDGE coming out of this year’s draft class. He’s totaled 20 sacks over the last two seasons, and Pro Football Focus was also particularly impressed with his run-stopping abilities too:

"Chubb is one of the best run-stopping edge defenders in this year’s class. His run stop percentage of 10.4 ranks No. 5 in this year’s class as last season he finished No. 1 in the ACC with 39 total defensive stops (a defensive stop is a tackle that results in a “win” for the defense). He has the sixth-highest percentage of positively-graded plays versus the run among draft eligible edge defenders in 2016."

LSU’s Arden Key might come with question marks about his durability and motivation, but his 2017 campaign has shown what kind of prospect he could be at the pro level. He’s easily jumped from the middle stages of Round 1 into top-10 consideration.

Either player could be available to San Francisco early in the draft. But if the Niners move down, they’d easily be able to target one of the mid-to-late-round prospects. Clemson, which boasts one of the best defenses in college football this year, offers up two possibilities, Clelin Ferrell and Austin Bryant.

And Boston College’s Harold Landry’s 48.0 collegiate sacks sure look enticing at the next level.