In his second year preparing for the NFL Draft, John Lynch, general manager of the venerated San Francisco 49ers, will want to arrange his selection process by need rather than want. Addressing the linebacker position is priority No. 1 for the rejuvenated Niners, and Lynch should know it.
When healthy and on the field, linebacker Reuben Foster is a game-changing presence for the San Francisco 49ers defense. However, injuries have haunted Foster throughout his football career. In his rookie year, Foster was sidelined for six games nursing a high-ankle sprain while dealing with nagging back spasms that kept him from contributing on the field.
With his recent arrest involving marijuana, even though a misdemeanor, the 49ers organization is now in a protective posture raising questions of Foster’s durability, but moreover, his availability for 2018.
Assuredly, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell will issue some sort of suspension, and who knows what transpires for Foster in the courts of law; that part is an unknown entity and a true concern.
While the 49ers should target the cornerback position as priority one, they cannot overlook the imposing problems Foster brings to the immediate forefront. Isolating the LB position, and placing major emphasis in versatility, the top five linebackers the 49ers should target on their big board are as follows.
Tremaine Edmunds, Virginia Tech
A coin toss will determine the 49ers’ selection order of either the No. 9 or the No. 10 overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft. This draft is deep with talent, so there has to be a feeling in San Francisco John Lynch will trade down a few spots to attain more draft picks.
Whether Lynch moves down or not, the ideal linebacker for the 49ers is Tremaine Edmunds of Virginia Tech. At 6-foot-5, 250 pounds, owning amazing athletic skills, the sheer thought of lining Edmunds aside Reuben Foster would be an absolute nightmare for opponents, but a sweet dream for the 49er faithful.
Notching a three-year commitment with the Hokies, Edmunds played in 32 games, recording 213 total tackles, 33 tackles for loss, with 10 sacks in tow. Edmunds ability to line up as an edge rusher, as well as matching up with running backs and tight ends in space, allows Edmunds to be the most versatile linebacker in this draft.
What’s truly welcomed to a defense ranked 23rd overall in 2017 is the toughness Edmunds brings to the table. The man brings his lunch pail to work, owns a fighting disposition and determined to win ball games.
There is a long standing history of tough linebackers that donned the scarlett and gold; Keena Turner, Hacksaw Reynolds, Matt Millen, NaVorro Bowman, and Patrick Willis to name a few.
Edmunds would continue the trend, should Lynch pull the trigger on draft day.
Robert Saleh, defensive coordinator for the 49ers, would be able to move Edmunds anywhere on the field, disguising looks, while creating game plans of attack rather than sitting back in zone.
On draft day, Saleh may be the one on the phone to Edmunds shouting, “pack your bags, young man! Santa Clara awaits you!”
Edmunds would be a Christmas gift in April for the fans of San Francisco.
Rashaan Evans, Alabama
Should the 49ers skip on Tremaine Edmunds, then locking up inside linebacker Rashaan Evans would become top priority for a defense yearning for help.
Checking in at 6-foot-3 and 230 pounds, Evans brings a punch-you-in-the-mouth attitude. Evans plays with his heart and with vindication, but moreover, the young man plays with winning on his mind.
When playing your college career under head coach Nick Saban of the Alabama Crimson Tide, then it’s more than reasonable to understand why Evans brings a must-win attitude to the game of football. With championship pedigree behind Evansn, it only makes sense to build your team with people who know how to win; Evans is that guy.
Per Walter Football, in 2017, Evans totaled 66 tackles, 11.5 tackles for a loss, six sacks, one forced fumble and three passes broken up.
Again, looking for versatility, Evans is capable of playing in a 4-3 scheme, but also fluid enough to come off the edge. With the lack of a pure pass rush from, well, anyone on the roster, it is clear the 49ers need help off the edge to pressure the quarterback on passing downs.
Quarterbacks and corners will, no doubt, monopolize the top half of the NFL Draft. John Lynch, being patient yet aggressive in his war room, might target Evans as his must-get guy. Therefore, Lynch trading down a few spots to nab Evans in the middle of the first round is more than feasible. To see the Crimson Tide duo of Evans and Foster together again may well be what’s on Lynch’s agenda.
Dorance Armstrong Jr., Kansas
Projected to come off the big board in the second round of the 2018 NFL Draft, Dorance Armstrong Jr., standing 6-foot-4 and weighing in at 245 pounds, is an absolute beast! Mostly covered by two blockers on most downs, Armstrong’s numbers don’t indicate the type of player he really is on the football field.
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In 2017, Armstrong totaled 63 tackles with 9.5 for a loss, two sacks, four forced fumbles and four passes batted. He is a fast edge defender with very good athleticism. His aggressiveness at the line of scrimmage with his natural bend at his hips, makes Armstrong an essential player to have on a roster.
Robert Saleh runs a 4-3 Under base defense. In this style of defense, there is a LEO position built specifically to maintain edge gap, but also engineered to produce a solid pass rush off the edge. Dorance Armstrong would fit the LEO position without question.
Getting pressure on the QB has been putrid for the 49ers in 2017. Averaging less than two sacks a game, the 49ers defense ranks 26th overall in sacks, only five spots from the bottom of the basement.
Armstrong is a game changer, a guy John Lynch would love in Santa Clara.
Lorenzo Carter, Georgia
The 49ers have serious needs to address in the upcoming NFL Draft. Categorically, the perfect approach for John Lynch would be to fill the void of a boundary corner, edge rusher, safety and linebacker in that order.
Should Lynch decide to pursue corner first, then attaining the likes of Lorenzo Carter in the second round is more than a viable option.
At 6-foot-6, 240 pounds of raging fire, Lorenzo Carter out of the University of Georgia is an absolute monster. It took him awhile to get comfortable in his role at LB, but in his senior year Carter shined with 57 tackles, logging in 4.5 sacks, forcing three fumbles and recording 7.5 tackles for a loss.
Versatile as a LB and coming off the edge, Carter could certainly fill the LEO role coach Saleh yearns for so desperately.
Scouts see Carter as a sideline-to-sideline talent. A kid whose motor is nonstop in pursuing the ball carrier, and not ashamed to bring his pads to the party. Graced with incredible God gifted talent, Carter would be a welcomed addition to the San Francisco 49ers.
Kemoko Turay, Rutgers
With 49ers talks leaning heavily in signing quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo in the very near future, the guard and center position become a serious focal point in planning for success on offense. Interior linemen are a required commodity, but can be obtained in free agency at a fair price.
An outside option for John Lynch may be to focus on the third round, where he has two selections slotted closely at the top, picks 70 and 74, overall. Here is where value of picking a play-making linebacker makes perfect sense.
Enter Rutgers’ Kemoko Turay.
At 6-foot-5 and all of 250 pounds, Turay is like a jungle cat able to pounce on its prey from all angles. A former high school long jump and triple jump champ, Turay shows the ability of tracking down ball carriers with ease, move with tremendous burst from his lower half of his body, and able to force opposing coaches to game plan for his position.
A tremendous football player, Turay is exactly the type of athlete the 49ers need to get better on defense.
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Coach Robert Saleh needs help at the second tier of his defense, specifically a LB capable of playing in space, able to cover running backs and tight ends and getting to the quarterback on a consistent basis. The five athletes listed above would fill those requirements very nicely.
Next: 49ers' trade-up, trade-down targets in the 2018 NFL Draft
In the next installment, we will take a look at the top five players able to bring an immediate impact to the 49ers defense.