On Monday, we looked at the pros and cons of the San Francisco 49ers taking an offensive lineman with their first pick in Thursday’s NFL Draft. Today, let’s flip what side of the trenches we are on and do the same exercise for San Francisco’s defensive line.
The 49ers made a splash move to address the interior of the line, trading pick No. 92 to Dallas in exchange for defensive lineman Osa Odighizuwa, to bolster the interior pass rush that was lackluster in 2025.
Well, the entire line was lackluster in getting after the quarterback, and the pass-rushing group has only gotten worse since Bryce Huff retired. Let’s make a case for and against taking a defensive end with the 49ers’ first selection:
The case for drafting a defensive end
The pass rush gave 20 reasons why a projected No. 27 pick by the 49ers needs to address this group. After being a team predicated on a good-to-elite pass rush over the last seven seasons, the production took a nose-dive, recording just 20 sacks in 2025, the fewest by a team since the Bears recorded 20 sacks in 2022.
With Huff’s retirement, the 49ers don’t even have a complete pass rush unit. On any given pass-rush situation, San Francisco is left with Nick Bosa, Mykel Williams, and Odighizuwa on the front line. Yes, Keion White and Sam Okuayinonu are still on the roster, but you feel more comfortable with either as rotational pieces instead of featured rushers.
The case against drafting a defensive end
As with the offensive line prospects, there might not be a whole lot available by the time the 49ers are on the clock (unless they make a relatively large jump in the order).
Arvell Reese, David Bailey, and Rueben Bain Jr. sit atop this draft class, and all will be long gone by the time the 49ers’ selection comes up at 27. Potential names for San Francisco include Keldric Faulk, Akheem Mesidor, and T.J. Parker. Faulk reads like another Mykel Williams, where he’s better against the run with some traits in the pass rush, so there’s a potential fit there. Parker also shows some of the same traits. Mesidor’s pass-rush ability could see him taken before the 49ers are on the clock, but injury concerns could see him fall.
An intriguing option if the 49ers want to reach for an option that would fit exactly what they need could be Malachi Lawrence out of UCF. A bit older of a prospect, Lawrence comes ready as a pass-rusher, which could prove to be more valuable to how San Francisco is currently constructed compared to a Faulk or a Parker. The 49ers could reach a bit to snag Lawrence in the first round, or maybe even trade back into the early second and risk Lawrence’s availability, but add to their six selections throughout the weekend.
The 49ers’ most pressing need is on the defensive end, but will the quality be there for a selection at pick No. 27?
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