DL: 2026 Draft Class

Originally posted by Ezekiel38:
You like Moore over Lawrence? We probably could get either at #92 w/ our 3rd rounder but would prefer Lawrence if we went that route. Whoever we draft there we are passing over so many good players at that spot so we better get it right with our 3rd rounder and not draft Nick Martin again.

I watched the highlight videos of both and Lawrence popped far more for me (I am def no expert) in terms of explosion and twitchiness/athleticism.

Guess the combine will illuminate a lot on all these guys.

Really liked Max Llewellyn's highlight videos as well would love him in the 4th at one of our picks if we have not picked an EDGE yet.

I still haven't got to Lawrence's tape, but he looked really good at the Shrine Bowl.

The issue we have right now with evaluating edges is that we don't know what Morris plans to do to the defense.

Originally posted by Hoovtrain:

Originally posted by ritz126:

Originally posted by Hoovtrain:

Originally posted by Phoenix49ers:

Originally posted by Hoovtrain:
Except drafting Collins last year, and west for that matter, makes this a redundant pick imo

I would happily take him and then sprinkle in a few 3Ts like Landon Robinson and Durant later on.

Go with Williams, McDonald, Collins and Bosa on early downs and dare teams to run the football while having a strong interior rotation.

Ok sold lol. What do you think of miller from Georgia?

hes a great player but he is also a strong run defender he isnt much of a pass rush guy,

Id perfer McDonald if we were going to go thar route he has the length and power and has some more athlethicisim so i can se ehim developing into a decent pass rusher

Interesting. I don't know s**t about these guys, other than what I read. What I heard about miller was he does possess good pass rush ability and saw comps of Kenny Clark, which picquet my interest

Problem is Miller is a mid 2nd round guy and too many other guys we should be looking at there at other more pressing positions (WR, LG) If he falls to 58 he would be decent value there assuming a good combine but there are some good value DTs later in the draft that can be had in the 4th/5th rounds (Durant/Robinson/Corleone)

But at 58 I'm looking at

-Pregnon G
-Dunker G
-Rutledge G (prefer him at 92 but if a run on guards he's the last top tier one)
-Trotter LB (only LB I really want in the whole draft)
-Hurst WR (dude not gonna be there at 92 so if we like him have to take him here esp if we don't go WR in the 1st round)
-Ponds CB (if he miraculously falls)
-Antonio Williams WR
-Young EDGE (if he is somehow there)
-Cooper WR (if he falls)

Originally posted by Heroism:

Originally posted by Ezekiel38:
You like Moore over Lawrence? We probably could get either at #92 w/ our 3rd rounder but would prefer Lawrence if we went that route. Whoever we draft there we are passing over so many good players at that spot so we better get it right with our 3rd rounder and not draft Nick Martin again.

I watched the highlight videos of both and Lawrence popped far more for me (I am def no expert) in terms of explosion and twitchiness/athleticism.

Guess the combine will illuminate a lot on all these guys.

Really liked Max Llewellyn's highlight videos as well would love him in the 4th at one of our picks if we have not picked an EDGE yet.

I still haven't got to Lawrence's tape, but he looked really good at the Shrine Bowl.

The issue we have right now with evaluating edges is that we don't know what Morris plans to do to the defense.

Very true on Morris good point.

I hope Zion Young has a nasty good combine that would make him worth #27 and on the level of a certified beast in Mesidor or a more good not great combine could drop him to 58. Mesidor already 25 years old and Zion just a pup at 21 so would prefer that age/upside even though I LOVED watching Mesidor's highlights. If Mesidor was 22-23 he'd prob be my first choice at #27 to pair next to Bosa. We already saw at Miami what he could do opposite an elite EDGE in Bain and he terrorized QBs.

Originally posted by Hoovtrain:
Ok sold lol. What do you think of miller from Georgia?

The sort of DL they would have pursued heavily under Saleh and Ryans, unclear when it comes to Morris but he'd be a useful piece to add for his versatility. More of a pure run stopper type whose pass rush skillset is still very much a work in progress. Floor is probably a very solid rotational run stuffer that can do a lot of the things Armstead did(complete with the whiffing on sacks far too often), ceiling is more of a game wrecking interior mauler.

Originally posted by Ezekiel38:
Very true on Morris good point.

I hope Zion Young has a nasty good combine that would make him worth #27 and on the level of a certified beast in Mesidor or a more good not great combine could drop him to 58. Mesidor already 25 years old and Zion just a pup at 21 so would prefer that age/upside even though I LOVED watching Mesidor's highlights. If Mesidor was 22-23 he'd prob be my first choice at #27 to pair next to Bosa. We already saw at Miami what he could do opposite an elite EDGE in Bain and he terrorized QBs.

Zion has the off-field/character stuff that will probably keep him off the 49ers' board.

Originally posted by Heroism:

Originally posted by Ezekiel38:
Very true on Morris good point.

I hope Zion Young has a nasty good combine that would make him worth #27 and on the level of a certified beast in Mesidor or a more good not great combine could drop him to 58. Mesidor already 25 years old and Zion just a pup at 21 so would prefer that age/upside even though I LOVED watching Mesidor's highlights. If Mesidor was 22-23 he'd prob be my first choice at #27 to pair next to Bosa. We already saw at Miami what he could do opposite an elite EDGE in Bain and he terrorized QBs.

Zion has the off-field/character stuff that will probably keep him off the 49ers' board.

Ah right - ok so can cross one dude off the list. Unless a fall to 58 is too much risk/reward to be ignored (like Philly w/ Jalen Carter).

It just seems we are gonna go WR at 27 since it is our biggest need. Really hope Boston runs sub 4.55 and Cooper sub 4.45 as Concepcion and Sadiq likely not going to be there.

Originally posted by Ezekiel38:
I do like this Phoenix - had not watched much of MacDonald but loved that tape you showed above. Would be fine with him at #27 now.

Here is my list of dudes at #27 I'd be good with

1. KC Concepcion
2. Akheem Mesidor
3. Zion Young
4. Denzel Boston (if he runs sub 4.55)
5. Omar Cooper Jr (if he runs sub 4.45)
6. Kayden MacDonald
7. Kenyon Sadiq (if he runs sub 4.55)

Pleeeease be one of those guys above. Assuming Sadiq and Concepcion won't be there at #27 with a great combine. A bad combine and I wouldn't want them anymore at #27 anyways.

Mesidor is 7 months younger than Aiden Hutchinson who will be going into his 5th year when Mesidor is a rookie. That leads to questions about whether the success is because Mesidor gets to line up against 18 year olds or whether something just clicked but generally older prospects have less upside and more question marks.

Kayden McDonald in the 1st or Gracen Halton in the 2nd.

McDonald is an unbelievable run defender, TFL expert and lead his team in tackles at DT. Absurd run stuffer who will demand a double team and he's only 20 so there's room for growth with his pass rush.

Gracen Halton has a really good mix of being able to stop the run and also pressure the QB, both at a very high level. He also has good size and athleticism. I think NFL teams will value him much higher than mocks have him going.

I actually wouldn't be opposed to taking them both back to back if we get a guard and WR in free agency.

Our DT room is extremely weak.

1.27- Kayden McDonald, DT- OSU
2.58- Gracen Halton, DT- Oklahoma
3.92- Dani Dennis Sutton, DE- Penn St

The only two guys I'd take at 27 over McDonald is Denzel Boston or Kenyon Sadiq.

I want like 7 2nd round picks this year

Originally posted by ChaunceyGardner:
I want like 7 2nd round picks this year

It's hard not to go trade down heavy in every draft simulator. Lots of talent of equal grades in the late 20s-50s.

I can see us moving down as a result…but it does require someone to move up. Team may try to jump up as well but we don't have a lot of picks but have a lot of holes.

Originally posted by Sask49erFan:

Originally posted by Ezekiel38:
I do like this Phoenix - had not watched much of MacDonald but loved that tape you showed above. Would be fine with him at #27 now.

Here is my list of dudes at #27 I'd be good with

1. KC Concepcion
2. Akheem Mesidor
3. Zion Young
4. Denzel Boston (if he runs sub 4.55)
5. Omar Cooper Jr (if he runs sub 4.45)
6. Kayden MacDonald
7. Kenyon Sadiq (if he runs sub 4.55)

Pleeeease be one of those guys above. Assuming Sadiq and Concepcion won't be there at #27 with a great combine. A bad combine and I wouldn't want them anymore at #27 anyways.

Mesidor is 7 months younger than Aiden Hutchinson who will be going into his 5th year when Mesidor is a rookie. That leads to questions about whether the success is because Mesidor gets to line up against 18 year olds or whether something just clicked but generally older prospects have less upside and more question marks.

I agree with this. If Mesidor was 22-23 years old he'd prob go top 15.

But I'll just say that if we drafted him at 27 I ain't gonna be mad.

Originally posted by Sask49erFan:
Kayden McDonald in the 1st or Gracen Halton in the 2nd.

McDonald is an unbelievable run defender, TFL expert and lead his team in tackles at DT. Absurd run stuffer who will demand a double team and he's only 20 so there's room for growth with his pass rush.

Gracen Halton has a really good mix of being able to stop the run and also pressure the QB, both at a very high level. He also has good size and athleticism. I think NFL teams will value him much higher than mocks have him going.

I actually wouldn't be opposed to taking them both back to back if we get a guard and WR in free agency.

Our DT room is extremely weak.

1.27- Kayden McDonald, DT- OSU
2.58- Gracen Halton, DT- Oklahoma
3.92- Dani Dennis Sutton, DE- Penn St

The only two guys I'd take at 27 over McDonald is Denzel Boston or Kenyon Sadiq.

I'm not wedded to any prospects this year, I just want the most impactful players possible. McDonald might not be the ideal need fit but he's a stellar nose tackle that made a ridiculous amount of plays behind the line of scrimmage. If you can stick him in the middle, its going to force offenses to adjust and open things up for Warner and the other LB's.

Originally posted by Phoenix49ers:

Originally posted by Sask49erFan:
Kayden McDonald in the 1st or Gracen Halton in the 2nd.

McDonald is an unbelievable run defender, TFL expert and lead his team in tackles at DT. Absurd run stuffer who will demand a double team and he's only 20 so there's room for growth with his pass rush.

Gracen Halton has a really good mix of being able to stop the run and also pressure the QB, both at a very high level. He also has good size and athleticism. I think NFL teams will value him much higher than mocks have him going.

I actually wouldn't be opposed to taking them both back to back if we get a guard and WR in free agency.

Our DT room is extremely weak.

1.27- Kayden McDonald, DT- OSU
2.58- Gracen Halton, DT- Oklahoma
3.92- Dani Dennis Sutton, DE- Penn St

The only two guys I'd take at 27 over McDonald is Denzel Boston or Kenyon Sadiq.

I'm not wedded to any prospects this year, I just want the most impactful players possible. McDonald might not be the ideal need fit but he's a stellar nose tackle that made a ridiculous amount of plays behind the line of scrimmage. If you can stick him in the middle, its going to force offenses to adjust and open things up for Warner and the other LB's.

Watching Ohio State's defense and while it's loaded with first rounders, really intrigued by Kayden McDonald (98). Eats double teams for breakfast; pass rush is a work in progress but there's upside. Thought he was terrific vs Indiana. pic.twitter.com/YYzQltDLCi

— Mina Kimes (@minakimes) February 14, 2026

Kayden McDonald had 30 run stops during the 2025 season.

Kenneth Grant had 33 in his three-year career at Michigan. https://t.co/hCgTI9kebL

— Marcus Mosher (@Marcus_Mosher) February 18, 2026

Wasn't Tyleik Williams last year a slightly better prospect than McDonald? That being said I like the picture you draw and sticking him in the middle on early downs next to Collins with Bosa and Williams on the edge. Good luck running on that.

Lots of 3rd and longs for our D if we grab McDonald.

And it's not just about ideal need fit or not - it's about taking BPA and if it's this dude we take him and we'll be better for it. I love Omar Cooper Jr but if we reach for him at 27 and pass on this guy and Seattle drafts him at 32 ... damn I'll be a lil upset.

Once again Phoenix has swayed me

Originally posted by genus49:

Originally posted by ChaunceyGardner:
I want like 7 2nd round picks this year

It's hard not to go trade down heavy in every draft simulator. Lots of talent of equal grades in the late 20s-50s.

I can see us moving down as a result…but it does require someone to move up. Team may try to jump up as well but we don't have a lot of picks but have a lot of holes.

agreed. Its too hard to trade back because the talent level between picks at 25 and 45 is so minimal this year.

That being said i can easily see someone trading back into the first round for that 5th year option