SF 49ers mock NFL Draft halfway through 2020 season

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Purdue’s Lorenzo Neal sacks Eastern Michigan’s Tyler Wiegers Mandatory Credit: USA TODAY Sports /

Round 5, Pick No. 143 Overall: SF 49ers get depth with Purdue defensive lineman Lorenzo Neal Jr.

143. player. 848. . Defensive Line. Boilermakers . Lorenzo Neal Jr.

Despite all their efforts in recent years, the SF 49ers defensive line is still thin and could get thinner next season.

Injuries have been the primary culprit, yet 2020 has proven why depth is so important. Defensive tackle Jullian Taylor is already gone, and the Niners probably won’t bring back defensive end Ronald Blair, who is a free agent and still working his way back from a 2019 ACL tear.

So there’s likely to be a need for some interior D-line support, and Purdue’s Lorenzo Neal Jr. would be a nice addition in Round 5.

Neal, the son of longtime fullback Lorenzo Neal, has good bloodlines, clearly, and he’s a violent interor disruptor with 30 combined tackles last season, including three for a loss and a sack, and two passes knocked down.

At 6-foot-3 and 315 pounds, Neal could be a rotational interior piece, potentially a solid 1-technique backup to nose tackle D.J. Jones, who is also poised for free agency but could be retained by San Francisco.