2018 NFL Draft: Breaking down DE Kentavius Street to the 49ers
By Peter Panacy
The San Francisco 49ers made something of a surprising NFL Draft move grabbing NC State defensive end Kentavius Street, and ACL-injury pick, at the end of Round 4. What should we make of it?
San Francisco 49ers fans were probably having some nightmares of former general manager Trent Baalke and his “All-ACL team” from a few years ago, as the Niners wrapped up their selection in Round 4 of the 2018 NFL Draft.
Yes, general manager John Lynch paid homage to Baalke by taking an ACL injury player in NC State defensive end Kentavius Street.
Street, 6-foot-2 and 280 pounds, was initially viewed as a mid-round pick. But he tore his ACL during a workout earlier this month, which pushed his overall value down the boards quite a bit.
And yet San Francisco took the flier.
| Tackles | Def Int | Fumbles | |||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | School | Conf | Class | Pos | G | Solo | Ast | Tot | Loss | Sk | Int | Yds | Avg | TD | PD | FR | Yds | TD | FF |
| *2014 | North Carolina State | ACC | FR | DE | 11 | 9 | 13 | 22 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | |||
| *2015 | North Carolina State | ACC | SO | DT | 11 | 10 | 20 | 30 | 2.5 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | |||
| *2016 | North Carolina State | ACC | JR | DE | 12 | 13 | 17 | 30 | 9.0 | 5.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | |||
| *2017 | North Carolina State | ACC | SR | DE | 12 | 16 | 22 | 38 | 6.5 | 2.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | |||
| Career | North Carolina State | 48 | 72 | 120 | 19.0 | 8.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 4 | 2 |
Provided by CFB at Sports Reference: View Original Table
Generated 4/28/2018.
Street does have some pass-rushing abilities, as his 19 sacks in college suggest. The 49ers need help in this department, but Street likely won’t be able to contribute right away. Probably not for the entirety of this season.
So what should we make of the pick?
Strengths
Being shorter, Street carries a low center of gravity and can win leverage over taller blockers. This helped him become something of a solid pass-rusher in the college ranks, but he’s probably a bit stronger as a run stopper off the big end spot.
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When healthy, he’s reliable and consistent. Street has a solid motor and doesn’t take plays off.
Weaknesses
Well, the ACL injury is a thing. Even some of the top prospects coming out in the draft have been set back by such injuries. Remember how the Niners used a high pick on Florida State’s Tank Carradine back in 2013?
Carradine didn’t exactly pan out, and Street could easily be heading on the same trajectory.
Plus, the overall lack of size could be problematic at the next level when Street is asked to take on full-size tackles and blocking tight ends.
Projected Role with the 49ers
Probably a redshirt situation his rookie season.
Beyond that, it’s up for debate. As Niners Wire’s Chris Biderman suggested, San Francisco — who lost Carradine to free agency this offseason — might want to try Street out as the left defensive end (the big end) option in its four-man base.
The Philadelphia Eagles showed how important a solid defensive line rotation can be, and the Niners appear to be taking stock in this.
Next: 49ers' 2018 NFL Draft tracker with grades & analysis
Still, it seems to be a bit of a reach when looking at the remaining pass-rush needs on the table right now.