There’s not a more important aspect of the San Francisco 49ers defense than their pass rush.
That unit struggled in the 2024 season, which didn’t help the struggles that led to the ouster of defensive coordinator Nick Sorensen. Addressing that group has to be a priority in the 2025 NFL draft, and they do so in a new mock draft from the Draft Wire.
In that recent one-round mock, the 49ers select Texas A&M edge rusher Nic Scourton with the No. 11 overall pick.
Scourton is an intriguing prospect with good size and athleticism that should quickly translate to the NFL. He’s listed at 6-4, 280 pounds, but he moves laterally like a much smaller DE.
He spent his first two years at Purdue and led the Big 10 in sacks with 10.0 in the 2023 season as a sophomore. Scourton transferred to Texas A&M for the 2024 season and didn’t have as much success getting quarterbacks on the ground in the SEC, finishing with 5.0 sacks. Pro Football Focus had him down for an impressive 42 pressures in 263 pass rush snaps in 2023. That number dropped to 35 pressures in 318 pass rush snaps this season.
It’s easy to see why San Francisco would be intrigued with Scourton based on his tools as an edge rusher, but his size may afford him the versatility to kick inside and contribute as an interior pass rusher as well. If the 49ers think they can snag a pass rusher who can make an impact at two positions, it’s hard to imagine they’d pass on him with their first-round choice.
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