5 prospects SF 49ers should avoid in Round 1 of 2021 NFL Draft

Niner Noise takes a look at five players the SF 49ers should pass on in Round 1 of the 2021 NFL Draft.

2021 could mark the most crucial offseason the SF 49ers have faced under general manager John Lynch and head coach Kyle Shanahan.

It was one thing for Lynch and Shanahan to rebuild the franchise from 2017 onward. But after falling short in 2020 after their Super Bowl campaign the previous year, the Niners are now faced with the prospects of a massive roster turnover while trying to retain what has become a playoff-caliber roster.

And with only a marginal amount of cap space against a diminishing salary cap, hitting on some rookie prospects multiple times in the 2021 NFL Draft is going to be paramount.

Just as important as it could be to hit on prospects, it can be equally as important to avoid the pitfalls of missing on them. Especially in Round 1 where the chances of landing high-impact talent are much greater than later rounds. There can’t be room for a linebacker Reuben Foster-like bust here, and other misses could prove to be detrimental to San Francisco’s future.

Currently, the Niners own the No. 12 overall pick but could move either up or down, as we’ve seen them do in recent season.

With that in mind, here are five first-round prospects the SF 49ers should pass on this upcoming draft.

No. 5: EDGE Gregory Rousseau, Miami

San Francisco could stand for some pass-rushing help this offseason to pair with EDGE Nick Bosa, especially if it seems fellow EDGE, the oft-injured Dee Ford, isn’t back as a cap casualty in 2021.

Unfortunately, there aren’t too many outside pass-rushers in this year’s draft class, which has partially pushed Miami EDGE Gregory Rousseau into first-round consideration.

At 6-foot-7 and 265 pounds, Rousseau is about as intimidating a defender there is. The physical tools are certainly there, but the production and experience aren’t. That’s a big concern.

Rousseau essentially played full time for just one season, 2019, where he recorded 15.5 sacks. But electing to opt out for his 2020 campaign raises a lot of eyebrows, and it’s generally a good idea to exercise caution on one-year wonder pass-rushers.

In some ways, Rousseau is reminiscent of current SF 49ers defensive end Arik Armstead, who wasn’t quite the sum of his parts when he came out in the 2015 draft. And others could be weary of another high-profile Niners draft pick, EDGE Tank Carradine, who had only one solid year of collegiate production before never reaching his expected level of production at the pro level.

San Francisco can’t afford to draft Rousseau with the mindset of letting him develop over time. The team has more pressing needs and should target a plug-and-play starter if it goes this route on defense.