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 eighth of the San Francisco 49ers’ nine draft picks:
Round 7 – Pick #223: Jullian Taylor, DT, Temple
With the San Francisco 49ers’ first of two picks in the seventh round, Lynch and Shanahan selected defensive tackle Jullian Taylor, a raw physical specimen that looks the part, but was unable to stay healthy during his college career.
Injuries sutained in both his sophomore and junior seasons limited Taylor to just two games over two years, before the tackle was able to stay on the field for 12 games his senior year, although he was forced to play through injury once again.
Measuring in at 6-foot-4 and 295 pounds at his pro day, Taylor reportedly ran an impressive 4.83 40-yard dash and completed 31 bench-press reps. When healthy for the Temple Owls, Taylor was a disruptive force, particularly in run defense:
The 49ers drafted Taylor based on his athleticism, and not his durability, which limited him to just 17 games over four years at Temple. Needless to say, the defensive tackle needs to stay healthy during the preseason if he wants a shot in what will be an uphill battle to make the 49ers’ final roster.
Given his size and skill set, Taylor will likely battle for a rotational spot on the 49ers’ defensive line at 3-technique defensive tackle behind DeForest Buckner, or potentially at “Big End.”
About the Author: Chris Wilson
