The 49ers selected defensive lineman Kentavius Street in the fourth-round of the 2018 NFL draft knowing he likely wouldn’t play that year. He tore his ACL in a pre-draft workout with the Giants and saw any draft stock he had quickly plummet. Now Street gets to begin his first real offseason as a first-year player at the team’s rookie mini-camp according to Matt Barrows of the Athletic.
Street came off of Injured Reserve late last season for his first week of practice with the club before the offseason. The goal was to get him a taste of an NFL practice after a long season full of rehab.
Typically a fourth-round pick coming off an injury doesn’t come with a ton of intrigue. Street is different. He’ll be in the competition for the starting nose tackle job, but he told Barrows he’s ready to contribute at every position on the defensive line.
It’s reasonable to assume he’s up to the task. He’s an explosive athlete at 6-2, 280 pounds, and he was part of a ferocious defensive line in college that featured three other players selected in the first 85 picks. His numbers with the Wolfpack don’t jump off the page. Street posted 19 tackles for loss and 8.0 sacks in 46 games.
What did stand out is his ability to wreak havoc in opposing backfields with superhuman strength and a non-stop motor. Those traits don’t always translate to high-level production in the NFL, but they do bode well for his ability to contribute on San Francisco’s defensive line.
The 49ers defensive front is relatively top heavy, and they’re in search of productive players who can regularly contribute as part of rotation. DeForest Buckner, Nick Bosa and Dee Ford should all be regulars on the line. Competition in camp and throughout the year will decide snaps beyond that.
Street is a legitimate option to crack that rotation and play significant snaps this season. He’s a year into his NFL career, but gets to start his first full season Friday when rookie mini-camp opens. Standing out in the group of first-year players would be a nice first step for Street in his path to being a difference maker on the 49ers’ defensive line.
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