49ers mock NFL Draft 2021 using only small-school players

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Troy’s Jabir Daughtry-Frye is taken down by Coastal Carolina’s Tarron Jackson (Mandatory Credit: Imagn Images) /

Round 7, Pick No. 230 Overall: 49ers select defensive lineman Tarron Jackson, Coastal Carolina

One of the elements that made the Niners so strong back in 2019 was the depth of their defensive line. And that depth was surely tested amid all the injuries suffered within this unit last year.

EDGE Dee Ford still isn’t expected back in Week 1 after missing almost all of 2020 with a back injury. Combined with the free-agent losses of linemen Solomon Thomas and Kerry Hyder and despite onboarding veterans like Samson Ebukam and Zach Kerr, San Francisco could still absorb some additional D-line depth.

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Especially in the pass-rush department.

In Round 7, it’s anyone’s guess what a prospect will offer. But in terms of production, East Carolina defensive lineman Tarron Jackson did just that.

Splitting time between a defensive end and defensive tackle, the 6-foot-2 Jackson managed 18 sacks his last two years with a combined 16.5 tackles for a loss during that span. His massive arms and swim moves helped him get into the pocket from the interior. And while his outside pass-rushing moves aren’t great and he generally lacks burst off the edge, putting him on the inside could help mitigate these shortcomings.

He might only be a situational reserve. But that depth always has value, especially if the 49ers wind up losing one of their premier pass-rushers again this season.

And, no. The Niners aren’t going to focus solely on small-school prospects anyway. But if they did, here you go.

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