The San Francisco 49ers need to rebuild their defensive line, and it seems very likely they are going to do so through the NFL Draft.
One sleeper prospect could be defensive lineman Jamaree Caldwell out of the University of Oregon.
The Niners are going to have a new look on their D-line in 2025 after getting rid of edge rusher Leonard Floyd as well as defensive tackles Maliek Collins and Javon Hargrave. With San Francisco looking to conserve money while getting younger, it stands to reason most of the new additions are going to come in late April during the draft.
There are a number of draft prospects who stand out, but Caldwell could be one who flies under the radar a little bit. 2023 saw him record 6.5 sacks playing for the University of Houston, and in 2024 with the Ducks, he had 29 tackles and no sacks while forcing one fumble.
Those stats may not fly off the page, but @jonnydels on social media broke down how Caldwell is an unselfish player on the D-line who is effective in the run game and draws attention, which allows his teammates to make plays.
Jamaree Caldwell could be a perfect fit for 49ers in NFL Draft
The 49ers struggled badly with their run defense last season. If they are going to get back to being a team that can stuff the run on defense and not be bulldozed, Caldwell could be a key piece in bringing about that return to form.
NFL.com rates him as more of a backup player who could develop into a starter with time. Most sites have him projected to be taken on Day 3 of the draft, roughly the fourth round. San Francisco will have two fourth-round picks in this year's draft, so perhaps it can use one of them on the 340-pound nose tackle.
We already know the 49ers sent several scouts to Oregon's pro day just a few weeks ago, so Caldwell may be a player who is on their radar. The Niners have struck gold in the later rounds of the draft in the past when it comes to defensive players. They took cornerback Deommodore Lenoir, another Oregon Duck, in the fifth round of the 2021 NFL Draft so they have done it before.
Plus, they selected two pretty good defensive linemen out of Oregon in the not-too-distant past with Arik Armstead and DeForest Buckner, so perhaps they can go to the well one more time as they try to improve their D-line and get back to being a team that can stop the run.
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