The San Francisco 49ers are 6-1, and the DeForest Buckner trade only served to cement them as legitimate contenders. But Buckner is a rental in the final year of his contract.
Nick Bosa's calf has already cost him four games this season, the pass rush only managed three pressures in Atlanta, and Keion White leads the team with 3.5 sacks. San Francisco holds its own 2027 first-round pick, and the class waiting in April is deep at exactly the spot that needs a long-term answer.
Colin Simmons, Texas
Simmons is the best pass rusher in the upcoming rookie class, and he is arguably going to end up being the most expensive name on this list. He leads college football with 10.5 sacks and 16 tackles for loss in only six games, and he also recorded 5.5 sacks in a single game against Tennessee. He led the SEC in sacks last season with 12 sacks in 13 games.
Cited for his elite athleticism and unprecedented array of skill moves, the 6'3" quarterback terrorizer might require the 49ers to leverage their first-round pick (among others) to trade up for the opportunity to snag him.
Dylan Stewart, South Carolina
Stewart is oozing with physicality. He's a 6-foot-5 speed rusher at or near the top of the class. His 2026 numbers need context, though, because a back injury eliminated his spring and three early games, and a suspension cost him another. When he returned against Florida, he delivered a sack, two forced fumbles, and the finest PFF grade of his career so far.
Stewart's physical profile resembles a young Nick Bosa, and many 49ers fans would surely salivate at the opportunity to watch a reincarnation of their beloved pass rusher run wild in the trenches for the next decade.
Yhonzae Pierre, Alabama
Pierre is the power option of the group, ranking third on every major board after breaking out with eight sacks and three forced fumbles last season. He has 3.5 sacks and a pick-six this season, but realistically, if any of the top three names on the board slide, it's going to be Pierre. Don't be surprised if a team moves up to get him, and don't be surprised if it's the 49ers.
49ers general manager John Lynch has already shown he will spend to fix this front, and April will ask the same question at a higher price. Will the Niners climb the board for a franchise rusher or trust the process and wait? The conversation starts with these three players.
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