2018 NFL Draft: 5 prospects the 49ers can target with their first pick
By Peter Panacy
No. 2: EDGE Harold Landry, Boston College
6-foot-3, 250 pounds, Senior
Yes, going this route would mean the 49ers spent their last three first-overall picks in the NFL Draft on defensive linemen.
But as Niners Wire’s Rob Lowder pointed out, taking a player like Harold Landry in Round 1 wouldn’t exactly be wasteful of San Francisco’s previous selections:
I can understand the frustration, but all “defensive ends” coming out of college aren’t created equal.
— Rob Lowder (@Rob_Lowder) December 1, 2017
Armstead: 3T/5T
Buckner: 3T
Thomas: 5T
Landry: LEO (mock)
There’s zero question the #49ers need a pure pass rusher. https://t.co/DfB8xwX9uM
Landry is, especially according to Draft Wire’s November mock, a prototypical edge-bending pass-rusher designed for a fit along a 4-3 Under scheme. The production is there, evidenced by Landry’s 25 sacks over three starting seasons. And his frame gives Landry a bit more of the traditional speed needed off the edge.
Keep in mind, San Francisco finished 2017 ranked 26th in sacks (30) and can’t solely rely on the veteran, Elvis Dumervil, to provide everything in the pass rush.
No, a younger commodity is needed here. And like quarterbacks, the elite pass-rushers are rare and hard to come by.