USC linebacker Uchenna Nwosu met with the 49ers surrounding his pro day this week, according to a report from Tony Pauline of Draftanalyst.com.
San Francisco was among a group of five teams to meet with the NFL draft prospect, according to the report, joining the Titans, Eagles, Vikings and Saints.
The 49ers still clearly need help rushing the passer and at linebacker. Nwosu could potentially offer help in both areas, playing off the ball as an inside linebacker, in line as a “Sam” linebacker on the strong side and potentially as a pass rusher along the edge.
Nwosu (6-2, 251) logged 19.0 sacks over the last two seasons including 11.5 for the Trojans in 2017. He’s considered a first- or second-round prospect and his stock appears to be on the rise after a strong showing at the Senior Bowl and throughout the pre-draft process.
Nwosu at the combine ran a 4.65 in the 40, benched 225 pounds 20 times, jumped 32 inches in the vertical and 9-feet, 11-inches in the broad jump.
The 49ers have a number of options at both “Leo” defensive end and Sam linebacker – but no established options that have had prolonged success in the league.
The team recently re-signed Cassius Marsh after he logged two sacks and two forced fumbles over the final six games of 2017. Eli Harold, entering his contract year, played primarily at Sam but could be featured more as a pass rusher in 2018. Additionally, former first-round pick Arik Armstead and recently added free agent Jeremiah Attaochu figure could also have prominent roles.
The 49ers earlier this month decided not to pick up the option of 34-year-old Elvis Dumervil, who led the team with 6.5 sacks last season while none of his teammates had more than three. San Francisco had 30 sacks as a team, the sixth-fewest in the NFL, while ranking 30th in third-down defense.
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