This prospect is from Armstead’s alma mater
The San Francisco 49ers have plenty of picks to fill out their depth chart in this year’s NFL Draft. The brunt of the talk has been about what the team does at pick No. 31, but there’s enough talent to pluck a starter in rounds 2 and 3.
It wouldn’t be a Niners draft under the current regime if a defensive lineman weren’t drafted. An offensive tackle is a popular pick in the first round, but a pick in the trenches on the other side of the ball wouldn’t surprise anybody.
PFF went through each team and listed a potential Day 2 prospect. For the Niners, it’s a defensive lineman to replace Arik Armstead from Arik’s alma mater:
SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS: DI BRANDON DORLUS, OREGON
The 49ers need help at defensive tackle, and Oregon’s Brandon Dorlus fits the bill as an athletic penetrator who can line up at nearly any spot. He racked up at least 40 pressures in three straight college seasons. He also posted nearly identical run-defense grades in the mid-70s in those three years.
Dorlus is a fifth-year Senior out of Oregon—his profile projects as a role player who can thrive on obvious passing downs. Listed at 6’3, 283 pounds, Dorlus tested as an elite athlete — his quickness and burst show up on film, but his length should attract Kris Kocurek. Dorlus is in the 70th percentile for his wingspan despite being undersized for a defensive tackle.
It isn’t easy to project where he lands in the NFL Draft. Some big boards on the internet have him in the 40s, while other sites have him as low as 119 overall.
Between Maliek Collins, Jordan Elliott, Yetur Gross-Matos, and a Day 3 selection, the 49ers would have four bodies to replace Armstead and Javon Kinlaw’s snaps at defensive tackle.
About the Author: Insidethe49
