49ers NFL Draft: 1 pass-rusher to target in each round

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Pittsburgh Panthers defensive lineman Patrick Jones (91) Mandatory Credit: Paul Rutherford-USA TODAY Sports /

Patrick Jones II. 3. player. 866. . Edge Rusher. Panthers

49ers NFL Draft Target Rd. 3: Patrick Jones II, Pitt

Pitt’s Patrick Jones II may not have the same name recognition that some of the higher-profile pass-rushers have, but scouts are certainly familiar with him.

At 6-foot-4 and 264 pounds, Jones’ lean frame may hinder his draft status a bit. However, his production cannot. In his junior and senior seasons, he combined for 24 tackles for loss and 17.5 sacks in 22 games. A balanced defender, Jones is capable of impacting the game as a pass-rusher and as a run defender. But he is currently a straight 4-3 defensive end, so scheme versatility is not his strong suit.

But if you require him to simply make plays from the edge, you can expect immediate productivity.

Scouts in attendance at the 2021 Reece’s Senior Bowl witnessed a solid performance by Jones, who racked up 1.5 sacks while displaying multiple moves using his hands, bull rush, and speed at the snap.

Lining him up across from Nick Bosa to strictly wreak havoc on opposing quarterbacks could give the 49ers the second edge rusher Dee Ford was supposed to have been when they acquired him back in 2019.