4 late-round pass-rush prospects 49ers can target in 2022 NFL Draft
By Peter Panacy
2. player. 815. . EDGE. Sooners . Isaiah Thomas
49ers NFL Draft Target No. 2: Isaiah Thomas, Oklahoma
A player like Tariqious Tisdale might actually be better suited lining up inside for the 49ers as more of a rotational 3-technique player, meaning the need for a true Wide-9 defender well off to the edge could still be a priority.
This generally means a player who is smaller but has speed to accelerate in space, then moving past a lone-blocking offensive tackle en route to the quarterback.
In this case, Oklahoma EDGE Isaiah Thomas possesses those traits, and his 2021 campaign is shaping up to put him squarely in consideration for being an earlier pick on day three of the 2022 NFL Draft.
| Tackles | Def Int | Fumbles | |||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | School | Conf | Class | Pos | G | Solo | Ast | Tot | Loss | Sk | Int | Yds | Avg | TD | PD | FR | Yds | TD | FF |
| *2018 | Oklahoma | Big 12 | FR | DE | 4 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | |||
| *2019 | Oklahoma | Big 12 | SO | DL | 5 | 5 | 2 | 7 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
| *2020 | Oklahoma | Big 12 | JR | DL | 10 | 19 | 12 | 31 | 12.0 | 7.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 1 | |||
| 2021 | Oklahoma | Big 12 | SR | DL | 9 | 14 | 14 | 28 | 8.0 | 4.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 3 | |||
| Career | Oklahoma | 40 | 30 | 70 | 22.0 | 14.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 3 | 4 |
Provided by CFB at Sports Reference
Generated 11/10/2021.
Good pass-rushers don’t always have to get sacks. An additional bonus is seen by looking at the three forced fumbles he’s had this year already over nine games, creating something of a Dee Ford-like presence when the latter was at his prime.
Thomas is surely explosive enough and has the speed to make the difference, although there are plays where he’s merely pressuring quarterbacks but not quite getting home.
For a day-three selection, though, that’d be worth the investment.