San Francisco 49ers: 5 day two NFL Draft prospects who can fill a need

No. 3: Darius Leonard, Linebacker, South Carolina State

Let’s look at the defensive side of the ball here. Small-school player he may be, Darius Leonard has some very impressive tape and lived up to it versus superior opposition at the Senior Bowl.

Leonard stands at 6-foot-2, 229 pounds and is already a complete player, according to this report:

"Leonard didn’t get a ton of headlines for his play in Mobile, but he was very good in every session to show that he could handle the improved level of competition. In the run game, Leonard was sideline to sideline and stuffing runs in the tackle box. Even more important for Leonard’s draft stock, he showed the ability to cover tailbacks and tight ends in the passing game. That illustrates that Leonard has three-down starting potential for the NFL and is worthy of going as high as the second round of the 2018 NFL Draft."

Leonard should go on day two, and the Niners could definitely grab him to pair with the exciting Reuben Foster.

Why This Makes Sense

Foster lived up to high expectations, but was off the field due to a shoulder injury for a lot of it. His recent arrest also will have him on a very short leash, but even despite all these the Niners need to upgrade at linebacker regardless. Leonard would serve as an insurance policy as well as a partner for Foster.