5 dream targets for 49ers in 2022 NFL Draft
By Peter Panacy
EDGE. Arnold Ebiketie. Scouting Report. Penn State. 1. player. 806. Pick Analysis
49ers dream target No. 1: EDGE Arnold Ebiketie, Penn State
There’s a sheer volume of quality pass-rushers in this year’s NFL Draft. And while the 2022 class might lack the immediate Pro Bowl prowess of prospects like Nick Bosa when he came out, there are nevertheless plenty of good options to be had on the first two days of the draft.
Sure, San Francisco will have no shot at landing one of arguably the top edge rushers in this year’s draft, Oregon’s Kayvon Thibodeaux or Michigan’s Aidan Hutchinson. Those are the only two who may come close to Bosa’s stock value back in 2019.
But one player on the fringes of being a first-round pick, Penn State EDGE Arnold Ebiketie, could certainly be in reach. Especially if the 49ers act aggressively and trade up.
| 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 | Temple | American | FR | DE | 3 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
| *2019 | Temple | American | SO | DE | 7 | 9 | 3 | 12 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
| 2020 | Temple | American | JR | DE | 6 | 28 | 14 | 42 | 8.5 | 4.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | ||
| *2021 | Penn State | Big Ten | SR | DE | 12 | 34 | 28 | 62 | 18.0 | 9.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | |||
| Career | Overall | 75 | 45 | 120 | 28.5 | 15.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 5 | ||||||
| Temple | 41 | 17 | 58 | 10.5 | 6.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | |||||||
| Penn State | 34 | 28 | 62 | 18.0 | 9.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
Provided by CFB at Sports Reference
Generated 2/25/2022.
Ebikete burst upon the scene after transferring over to Penn State from Temple, notching 9.5 sacks and 18 tackles for a loss. And for those concerned either about his 6-foot-3 frame or the fact he appears to be a one-year wonder, fear not.
Simply put, Ebikete’s relentless motor, extreme physical prowess and quick-twitch abilities, show all the signs of him being an excellent pass-rusher at the pro level.
There’s a good chance Ebikete sneaks into the teens in Round 1 of the draft, but the likelier projection is a late first-round selection, potentially falling into the early stages of Round 2.
However, if he was to fall further, the Niners shouldn’t hesitate to pair him with Bosa.
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