49ers focus on trenches, depth in post-NFL Combine mock draft

Round 7, Pick No. 224 overall (from Broncos): 49ers select EDGE Robert Beal, Georgia

If the draft board would have fallen a bit differently for the Niners, an edge rusher would have been a bigger priority.

Especially considering no other San Francisco player had more than five sacks in 2022 behind the Defensive Player of the Year, Nick Bosa.

The NFL Draft is a craps shoot anyway, and getting into Round 7 is the equivalent of picking draft weeds. That said, there are plenty of positives for Georgia EDGE Robert Beal, who had 6.5 sacks in 2021 but then underwhelmed in 2022 with just 2.5.

Notably raw and lacking pass-rushing moves, the 6-foot-4 and 247-pound Beal has good speed and ran a 4.48 40-yard dash at the combine.

He might only be a situational pass-rusher early in his career, at best. But, someone like 49ers defensive line coach Kris Kocurek has worked magic with less-known pass-rushers before, and Beal could easily wind up being the next project.