2021 NFL Draft: 5 pass-rush prospects SF 49ers should scout

SF 49ers EDGE Target No. 3: Xavier Thomas, Clemson

Based on his first two seasons with the Clemson Tigers, EDGE Xavier Thomas seemed destined to be a consensus top-10 pick in the NFL Draft.

But Thomas has gone through quite the regression in 2019, perhaps due to Clemson’s defensive line making its rounds to the NFL ranks and leaving Thomas shouldering the bulk of the pass-rushing load as one of the few remaining commodities from this unit’s national-championship days.

After boasting back-to-back eight-sack seasons in 2018 and 2019, Thomas has been relegated to a mere two quarterback takedowns and 2.5 tackles for a loss in 2020 over three games, while his game tape has looked much more inconsistent and less imposing than it did previously.

The good news, however, is Thomas’ sheer talents didn’t exactly just go away.

And it’s possible the regressive elements could drop his stock a bit into an area where the SF 49ers would want to take a shot on the 6-foot-2, 265-pound lineman.

Perhaps a Round 2 pickup would be more than adequate, banking on his well-known upside.