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5 players the 49ers need to watch at the 2019 NFL Scouting Combine

By Peter Panacy

INDIANAPOLIS, IN - MARCH 03: Running back Dalvin Cook of Florida State runs the 40-yard dash during the NFL Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium on March 3, 2017 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
INDIANAPOLIS, IN - MARCH 03: Running back Dalvin Cook of Florida State runs the 40-yard dash during the NFL Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium on March 3, 2017 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images) /
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PASADENA, CA – JANUARY 01: D’Andre Walker #15 of the Georgia Bulldogs reacts after sacking Baker Mayfield #6 of the Oklahoma Sooners during the third quarter in the 2018 College Football Playoff Semifinal at the Rose Bowl Game presented by Northwestern Mutual at the Rose Bowl on January 1, 2018 in Pasadena, California. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)
PASADENA, CA – JANUARY 01: D’Andre Walker #15 of the Georgia Bulldogs reacts after sacking Baker Mayfield #6 of the Oklahoma Sooners during the third quarter in the 2018 College Football Playoff Semifinal at the Rose Bowl Game presented by Northwestern Mutual at the Rose Bowl on January 1, 2018 in Pasadena, California. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images) /

Outside pass-rushers are still going to be a major focus for the 49ers, even if they wind up going with a player like Quinnen Williams first. And even if the Niners do grab an EDGE with their first pick, that doesn’t at all rule out the possibility of grabbing another later in the NFL Draft.

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    • This could mean San Francisco potentially targeting someone like Georgia’s D’Andre Walker early in Round 3, where he’s currently projected to be by NFL Draft Scout.

    The 6-foot-3, 245-pound Walker, who managed 13.0 sacks the last two seasons with the Bulldogs, missed the opportunity to play on Kyle Shanahan’s South squad during the 2019 Senior Bowl with a groin injury.

    According to The Draft Network, Walker’s best strengths right now are against the run game. His pass-rushing abilities need some work, unfortunately, meaning he’d likely be little more than a situational pass-rusher right out of the gate.

    That said, it wouldn’t be out of the question to see San Francisco utilize Walker in more of a strong-side linebacker role early, which is another position the team needs to address before the 2019 regular season.

    Walker, who is kind of a tweener for either a true edge rusher or outside linebacker, would need to test well in both his agility and straight-line speed to convince a team like the Niners he’s worth developing into something promising.