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

49ers NFL Draft Target Rd. 4: Payton Turner, Houston

University of Houston EDGE Payton Turner‘s size (6-foot-6, 270 pounds) has been a talking point for some draft pundits, but his game should be garnering him more attention.

While playing for the Cougars over his collegiate career, he has grown two inches while adding and dropping weight to play in the interior or on the edge, depending on what the coaching staff needed from him.

However, after dropping 20 pounds to get to 270 pounds to play on the edge once again before the start of this past season, Turner once again showed his versatility and productivity regardless of where they played him.

Turner was explosive with his first step, was quick-moving laterally, and had smooth transitioning in his changes of direction. His edge burst to penetrate the pocket is transferable to the pro level, and it is easily recognized when watching him play.

Finding his comfort zone in a defensive scheme may be challenging, but it could also allow him to be a defensive mismatch with the versatility to move across the defensive front, depending on the offensive game plan his team is facing. He can play standing up or in a three- or four-point stance on the outside. Teams will get the most from him by using his versatility correctly.

Having Turner and Arik Armstead moving around the defensive front on different downs could be a nightmare for opposing offensive coordinators to gameplan for.