Niner Noise
FanSided

Ranking 49ers 10 best NFL Draft picks of the decade

By Josh Altorfer

CHICAGO, IL - APRIL 28: NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell annonces DeForest Buckner of Oregon as the #7 overall pick by the San Francisco 49ers during the first round of the 2016 NFL Draft at the Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University on April 28, 2016 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Jon Durr/Getty Images)
CHICAGO, IL - APRIL 28: NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell annonces DeForest Buckner of Oregon as the #7 overall pick by the San Francisco 49ers during the first round of the 2016 NFL Draft at the Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University on April 28, 2016 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Jon Durr/Getty Images) /
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San Francisco 49ers
Arik Armstead, San Francisco 49ers (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) /

No. 6: Defensive Tackle Arik Armstead

2015 NFL Draft

Round 1, Pick No. 17

Defensive end Arik Armstead lead the 49ers with 10 sacks in the regular season, being a force in the interior of the defensive line all year.

Armstead underperformed early on in his career with three sacks being his best total before his 10 in 2019. And some wondered if it would take him at least a few seasons to reach his best-immediate potential. A lot of the blame could be put on the lack of talented defensive players around him, though. With the added threat of pass-rushers on the line, Armstead is free to beat his man to the opposing quarterback.

Armstead had the best PFF rating on the entire 49ers defense coming in with an 89.7 prior to Week 17.

He seems to finally be living up to his mid-Round 1 NFL Draft value, and the San Francisco defense is all the better for it.