Niner Noise
FanSided

San Francisco 49ers: Regrading the 2015 NFL Draft class three years later

By Peter Panacy

INDIANAPOLIS, IN - FEBRUARY 22: Defensive lineman Arik Armstead of Oregon competes during the 2015 NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium on February 22, 2015 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
INDIANAPOLIS, IN - FEBRUARY 22: Defensive lineman Arik Armstead of Oregon competes during the 2015 NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium on February 22, 2015 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images) /
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DENVER, CO – AUGUST 29: Defensive tackle Arik Armstead #69 of the San Francisco 49ers lines up against the Denver Broncos during preseason action at Sports Authority Field at Mile High on August 29, 2015 in Denver, Colorado. The Broncos defeated the 49ers 19-12. (Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images)
DENVER, CO – AUGUST 29: Defensive tackle Arik Armstead #69 of the San Francisco 49ers lines up against the Denver Broncos during preseason action at Sports Authority Field at Mile High on August 29, 2015 in Denver, Colorado. The Broncos defeated the 49ers 19-12. (Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images) /

C-. . Defensive Tackle. Oregon. ARIK ARMSTEAD

One should keep in mind the wholesale losses of talent the 49ers endured during the 2015 offseason, highlighted by the mutual “parting of ways” with Jim Harbaugh.

Trent Baalke couldn’t have foreseen all of that, although his first pick apparently was going to supplement the loss of perennial Pro Bowl defensive end Justin Smith, who retired that year.

Armstead wasn’t quite the sum of his parts coming out of Oregon. Yet the 6-foot-7 and 292-pound defensive lineman has flashed plenty of pass-rush potential since breaking into the league. So much so, that Pro Football Focus ranked Armstead the No. 2 3-4 defensive end in pass-rush productivity between 2015 and 2016:

That’s good. But the overall grade here gets marked down by two significant things. First off, injuries have been an issue. Armstead’s rookie season was the only year he appeared in all 16 games. He saw eight in 2016, followed by only six last season.

And, as 49ers fans know all too well, the very next player taken at No. 18 overall was cornerback Marcus Peters by the Kansas City Chiefs.

While Peters is now with the Los Angeles Rams, he has two Pro Bowl nods under his belt and one first-team All-Pro selection. Meanwhile, San Francisco has been hurting for a shutdown cornerback ever since.

At least the Niners picked up Armstead’s fifth-year option, so this first overall selection from the 49ers’ 2015 NFL Draft class isn’t a complete waste.