2020 NFL Draft: 3 dark-horse targets for 49ers first pick in Round 1

There’s no player in this year’s NFL Draft as good as DeForest Buckner is now, and there’s little doubting how much the Niners will miss his presence, both on the field and in the locker room.

San Francisco’s defensive line is still stacked, yes, especially after re-signing defensive end Arik Armstead. But what helped make Armstead a 10-sack artist last season was Buckner’s double-team-commanding presence along the interior, which freed up Armstead and then-rookie EDGE Nick Bosa to make plenty of plays.

So, what if the 49ers grab Buckner’s immediate replacement right away?

If that’s the route John Lynch wants to take, Auburn defensive tackle Derrick Brown is the guy.

A tremendous interior pass-rusher, the 6-foot-5, 326-pound Brown is easily the best interior lineman in this year’s draft class. And there’s little doubt he’s a top-10 player. But with a number of top 10-drafting teams in need of quarterbacks, there’s a good chance Brown winds up slipping out of this range and right into San Francisco’s lap.

Brown would then be under the Niners’ control for at least four, potentially six years at a much lower cost than what the Colts gave to Buckner on his new massive contract.

Good teams get younger and cheaper without losing too much thump, and Brown could immediately provide that.