The San Francisco 49ers added nine players to their roster in the 2018 NFL Draft. We break down the Niners’ draft, and discuss each pick’s expected role for the upcoming 2018 season and beyond.
San Francisco 49ers general manager John Lynch and head coach Kyle Shanahan were full of surprises during the 2018 NFL Draft. While the 49ers added a number of talented players at key positions, they avoided the team’s most immediate areas of need — edge rusher and interior offensive line.
Let’s take a look at the fifth of the San Francisco 49ers’ nine draft picks:
Round 4 – Pick #128: Kentavius Street, DL, N.C. State
At first glance, you may have thought the 49ers addressed their glaring need at edge rusher with their fourth-round draft pick.
Unfortunately, Kentavius Street — a defensive end for the majority of his college career — won’t be available to pressure opposing quarterbacks in 2018 due to an ACL injury he sustained during a workout with the New York Giants earlier this month. Reminiscent of the Trent Baalke era, Street will be “redshirted” his rookie season, with the hope that he will return to his pre-injury form in time for the 2019 NFL season.
When healthy, Street is quite the athlete. At 285 pounds, Street reportedly ran a 4.58 40-yard-dash last season, and squatted 700 pounds in what became a viral video:
During his time at N.C. State, Street played multiple positions on the defensive line, before finishing his career at defensive end opposite fellow draftee Bradley Chubb, who was selected by the Denver Broncos with the fifth overall pick on Thursday.
Somewhat limited by his 6-foot-2 frame, Street would need to add weight if he wants to play on the interior of the 49ers’ line on base downs. At his current size, Street would likely be used as a situational interior pass rusher on passing downs, or potentially a rotational “Big End” on base downs.
Originally projected to be a late second-day or early third-day selection, the 49ers may have reached a bit with their fourth-round pick, given his injury status. Although the “All-ACL” team strategy didn’t work during Baalke’s tenure, Lynch hopes Street fully recovers from his injury and competes for a prominent role with the team in 2019.
About the Author: Chris Wilson
