It’s not a secret the 49ers’ defense needs help. Addressing that need will likely come with heavy draft resources being put toward that side of the ball, most notably with the No. 2 overall pick in this year’s draft. General manager John Lynch told reporters at the league owner’s meetings in Arizona that the 49ers will meet with four of the top defensive prospects before the draft.
The only semi-surprise out of the group is Michigan defensive lineman Rashan Gary. It was previously reported that the Michigan star would meet with the 49ers, but it’s still an intriguing choice by San Francisco to meet with the positionless prospect.
Gary is an incredible athlete who mostly played defensive end for the Wolverines. He wasn’t very productive there with 9.5 sacks in 34 games. Some analysts believe the 6-4, 277-pounder is better suited as an interior pass rusher.
The prospect of San Francisco grabbing another defensive player in the Solomon Thomas vein where they’re between an edge and interior lineman is a bit concerning, but the 49ers aren’t in a position to leave stones unturned. Lynch and head coach Kyle Shanahan need to pick a player they believe can make an impact right away no matter what.
It’s also likely they’re gathering information on Gary in the event of a trade back. The level of prospects available at the No. 2 pick would make it difficult to justify taking him. Especially when at least two of Allen, Williams and Bosa will be on the board at that point.
We should expect more of this throughout the pre-draft process as the 49ers gather information on the top defensive prospects, and do their best to not show their hand leading up to the draft. San Francisco is sure to have plenty of options with the second pick. Diving deep into those options is the proper move.
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