Niner Noise
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San Francisco 49ers: Ranking top 3 defensive needs ahead of NFL Draft

By Peter Panacy

SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA - DECEMBER 21: Wide receiver Brandin Cooks #12 of the Los Angeles Rams catches a touchdown over cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon #23 of the San Francisco 49ers in the first quarter of the game at Levi's Stadium on December 21, 2019 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA - DECEMBER 21: Wide receiver Brandin Cooks #12 of the Los Angeles Rams catches a touchdown over cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon #23 of the San Francisco 49ers in the first quarter of the game at Levi's Stadium on December 21, 2019 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) /
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Solomon Thomas #94 of the San Francisco 49ers (Photo by Michael Zagaris/San Francisco 49ers/Getty Images)
Solomon Thomas #94 of the San Francisco 49ers (Photo by Michael Zagaris/San Francisco 49ers/Getty Images) /

No. 2: Interior Defensive Line Depth

Notice a trend here?

The DeForest Buckner trade has a trickle-down effect, which will notably change what San Francisco does up front along the defensive line. As NBC Sports Bay Area’s Matt Maiocco pointed out, no single player will be able to replace Buckner’s production and snap count. Because of this, defensive coordinator Robert Saleh will be forced to use a rotation of players like Solomon Thomas, Arik Armstead, Ronald Blair and others to make up the difference, particularly on pass-rushing downs.

With Buckner gone, as well as fellow defensive lineman Sheldon Day joining the 2018 Pro Bowler with the Colts, this need rises a bit higher up the list.

Run-stopping interior linemen are important, yes. And it wouldn’t be a shock to see the 49ers use one of their five day-three picks to grab someone to support nose tackle D.J. Jones.

Yet run stoppers are a lot easier to find than ones with pass-rushing prowess, particularly along the interior. Or at least the need to grab a player capable of locking up two blockers on the inside, freeing up the outside rushers into one-on-one matchups.

That’s going to be something the Niners look at strongly this NFL Draft, perhaps pushing this need into a dark-horse possibility for one of the team’s two first-round picks.