The 49ers badly need an edge rusher. It’s arguably the second most important position on a football team, and San Francisco struggled badly to get productivity out of that position last season. It seems like they’re in an ideal spot to shore up that position in the draft with the No. 2 overall pick. At worst they’d get the second-best edge prospect. At best they get the top one.
Perhaps there’s a scenario where they don’t love the edge rushers available with the second selection. They have other needs to fill, and whether they take a swing with the No. 2 choice or work on moving backward in the draft, it’s conceivable they could target a non-edge player.
Here are some prospects who don’t play edge, but could still be targets for the 49ers on Day 1 of the draft.
Alabama DL Quinnen Williams
Williams is an odd fit considering the depth San Francisco has on the interior of the defensive line. There are several scenarios that could play out where Williams winds up making sense for the 49ers. If they ultimately think he’s the best player available and can wreak havoc rushing from the interior, it’s not out of the realm of possibilities they take a defensive lineman with their first pick for the fourth draft in five years.
Houston DL Ed Oliver
Doug Farrar at Touchdown Wire actually has Oliver ahead of Williams. If San Francisco’s front office has the same line of thinking, selecting Oliver comes with all the same logic that taking Williams does. The 49ers could forego edge pressure in hopes of dominating on the interior with DeForest Buckner and Oliver. He’s big, strong, fast, and produced every year for the Cougars up until an injury shortened his 2018 campaign. If Williams is in play for the 49ers, Oliver will be too.
LSU LB Devin White
Replacing Reuben Foster has to be a key priority for the 49ers this offseason, and White has all the tools to do that. He is a prototypical linebacker for today’s NFL, measuring out at 6-1, 240 pounds while moving more like a safety than a lumbering off-ball linebacker. White is a good tackler, gets sideline-to-sideline, and holds his own in coverage. He had 256 tackles and 25.5 tackles-for-loss the last two seasons. If the 49ers trade back, or if they don’t fall in love with an edge player with the second pick, White wouldn’t be a bad consolation.
Washington CB Byron Murphy
Murphy wouldn’t be a target with the second pick. A trade back closer to the middle of the first round could put him in the conversation for a 49ers club that needs help in the secondary. Murphy can play slot or outside, and he plays with a swagger and nastiness that’s missing in San Francisco’s secondary. He isn’t particularly big, listed at 5-11, 182 pounds, but his athleticism and instincts make up for any length he might lack. If the 49ers find themselves picking in the middle of Round 1, Murphy has to be on their radar.
Ole Miss WR DK Metcalf
If the 49ers have wide receiver as their top need, and their goal is to get the biggest, most athletic receiver in the draft, Metcalf has to be the pick. He is every bit of his listed 6-4, 225 pounds, and there’s not much he can’t do on a football field. It’s going to take work to mold Metcalf into a polished receiver, but he put up 569 yards and five touchdowns on 26 catches in just seven games last year before a neck injury cut his season short. He’s been cleared for full football activities, and his pre-draft workouts will only push his draft stock up.
LSU CB Greedy Williams
Williams better fits the physical profile the 49ers want from their corners than Murphy does. He’s listed at 6-2, 182 pounds and has a ton of length on his frame. Williams moves well for a player his size, but he’s not a sensational athlete. Still, his physicality and ability to use his length to affect receivers make him an intriguing cornerback for the 49ers’ defense. Some analysts have him as the draft’s top corner. San Francisco will certainly give Williams a look if they move back in the draft and decide to use their first pick on a defensive back.
Alabama OT Jonah Williams
Selecting Williams could be a sign that the 49ers know something about Joe Staley’s future. Tackle is such a vital position in the NFL, and ensuring those two spots are secure is essential for a team trying to keep its quarterback upright. Williams may not have a starting job in Year 1 – not an ideal scenario for an early Round 1 pick – but he’s a very good prospect who could pair with 2018 rookie Mike McGlinchey for a long time in San Francisco. This is less likely given that Staley is still playing this season, but an eye toward the future could entice the 49ers to snag Williams if they move back and believe he’s the best prospect available for them.
Michigan DL Rashan Gary
Gary is a fascinating prospect. He is a dominant athlete who played defensive end at Michigan, but could be better suited as an interior defensive lineman in the NFL. Even at 6-5, 283 pounds, he moves extremely fluidly. His combination of size and athleticism is rare, and worth taking a look at in a trade back around the top 10. Gary is the type of athlete that a team acquires and figures out how best to deploy him. He poses a similar issue that Oliver and Williams do, but he could develop into a very good player at multiple spots on the defensive line. The 49ers just need good football players, and Gary is that.
