49ers: 7-round defense-only mock 2021 NFL Draft

49ers Round 6 Pick, No. 170 Overall: Linebacker Paddy Fisher

Making selections that are only on the defensive side of the ball is difficult, especially when one position is more or less set for San Francisco heading into 2021: linebacker.

Sure, there’s always room to improve the depth, but with Fred Warner and Dre Greenlaw, the 49ers have shown themselves to have one of the NFL’s top linebacking duos.

So what the team needs is someone who can step in as a key special teams player while possessing some ability to step in should Warner or Greenlaw ever go down (*knocks on all the wood*).

Northwestern linebacker Paddy Fisher is the type of player who could do both, although he does profile more like an old-school middle linebacker who tackles effectively enough and shows the ability to fill holes as needed, a key skill for a special teams ace.

His issues will be in the passing game, which means you won’t want to have to rely on him as a starter because of those deficiencies. But it doesn’t mean he couldn’t contribute if called upon to play a specific role.

Fisher is also a strong character guy, winning the 2020 Lott IMPACT Trophy, awarded to the college football player who had the biggest impact on his team. If nothing else, he could be a leader on the special teams unit, a good get in the sixth round.