DL: 2026 Draft Class

Originally posted by NYniner85:

Originally posted by adrianlesnar:

Originally posted by NYniner85:

Originally posted by 49ers808:
I love Solaks content and his pre draft evaluations. But man he looks like someone who's football background consists of handing water bottles to players while in civilian clothes on the sideline 🤣

Hahaha 100%

Also what happened to The Draft Network? I was a big fan of all those guys…they all left and now that site is a shell of itself

Draft Network started by bringing the top draftniks together onto one platform right as interest in the NFL draft really started to explode. Because the evaluators were already well known, and the masses were ready to move on from the Matt Miller's of the world, it took off really quickly. Add in the first actually functional mock draft simulator, and it was a hit.

Fast forward a few months tho, and it all collapsed really quickly.

Loss of talent. Jon Ledyard got exposed for saying some racist stuff online when he was younger, and he stepped away (or was secretly fired, possibly) to "work on himself" and distance himself from what was at the time a quickly growing platform. Shortly after, Solak joined the team. But by the time he became a household name, Trevor Sikemma was poached by PFF. Then Solak was poached by the Ringer I think before ultimately ending up with ESPN I believe. Before you know it, all the draftniks and podcasters who brought attention to the site were gone, replaced by people who the audience didn't know, and scouting reports the audience couldn't trust. The original team were talented, as evidenced by them all being poached by larger more prestigious companies, but more importantly, they were personalities as evidenced by their continued success in formats other than written articles. Who still listens to the Locked On NFL Draft podcast?! Ledyard and Sikemma were the best. TDN never got those likeable personalities back. They did get a few good evaluators tho....Who were then poached by ESPN and BR lol

Increase of competition. Other evaluators, podcasts and sites started popping up. Right as TDN was losing talent, places like The Ringer, Bleacher Report etc were going from unknowns at best and complete jokes at worst (looking at you Bleacher Report under Matt Miller) to a more reliable source of scouting reports than ever before. With the rise in NFL draft interest, companies like PFF started focusing big money on content creation. Gone are the days of Walter Football being the only option if you were willing to risk your hard drive. And then the nail in the coffin was the rise of competent competing mock draft simulators.

Business problems. Don't remember the whole story, but apparently TDN was started by a nepo baby. Eventually there was funding/CEO/business direction drama. IIRC the entire website was down for like 6 months because of money and/or hosting issues...argument over who owned the code to the mock simulator etc. Bad timing. People moved on and never had a reason to look back.

I cant remember the last time i went to TDN.

I also have no idea why i took the time to type all that.

I found this article, which came out a yr or so ago. Basically explains everything you said and a bunch more. I listened to Locked on draft with Ledyard and Sikemma all the time! Marino and Kyle Crabbs still do something on there. I like them as well. Follow them all, not the same though.

https://www.wideleft.football/p/the-rise-and-fall-of-the-draft-network

In other news sounds like PFF got bought out and is firing everyone. Not sure what they will be going forward

Originally posted by Heroism:

Originally posted by OnTheClock:
I think Height could be really good in our system. If the size and age push him down farther than expected, say he somehow gets to our fourth.. That's an easy pick IMO.

The 4th round would be fantastic value for Height. I was thinking more along the lines of the 49ers drafting him at 58, which admittedly is a reach in my eyes. But we all know the 49ers love to do that.

The more I think about the current makeup of the DL, the more I feel like John Lynch is a good DPR pick and a healthy Bosa/Mykel from looking like a smart GM. Morris will help the run defense with different fronts/alignments; Alfred and CJ West will handle base down duties; Bosa+Osa+Mykel(whose work as an interior rusher was underrated last year)+rookie DPR could be a very potent pass rush.

When it comes to what you see from edge rushers I trust much of your evaluations Hero. I admittedly have not seen Height since he left GA Tech. I saw alot of him the year before though and there is always some really nice flashes from him. Dude is quick off the ball. My single biggest criticism of him that year was the long stretches he disappeared though.

Originally posted by glorydayz:

Originally posted by Ezekiel38:

Originally posted by glorydayz:

Originally posted by Ezekiel38:
I still want Mesidor over anyone else at #27. He prob won't make it there.

But he is just flat out better right now at pass rushing than Lawrence - and that goes for Young/Jacas/Faulk/Howell as well and I'd even pass up a small trade back if he is there at #27.

Watch the YouTube vids Mesidor is on a tier above and even like him better than Bailey

He is just a terror off the edge like a caged beast unleashed

If we draft him at #27 in round 1, he will be 30 years old when we are deciding on his 5th year option from his rookie contract.

He would fit right in on our aging roster as a 25 year old rookie.

If he plays like a ****ing STUD on the edge and gets double digit sacks every year until he is on his 5th year option IDGAF.

Dude is ready to go out of the box.

The ONLY worry is what NY mentioned - not his actual age but that he was 25 playing against many 20-22 year olds and has that inflated his sacks/statistics.

I don't know but I'm willing to take that chance - I think he would embarrass many RTs in the NFL right now but obv that is speculation. If he was the same age as Bailey I'd take him over Bailey easy.

That's a lot to worry about, maybe just grab a 25 year old F/A that has tape vs NFL talent rather than taking a risk with a draft pick?

His tape is just too good. Watch how he plays - I don't think NFL RTs are going to be able to block and deal with this monster.

Mesidor too good to pass up at #27 if he is there unless Sadiq fell which he won't.

Originally posted by NYniner85:

Cashius Howell sacking the QB on 3 straight dropbacks to single-handedly wreck a drive vs Utah State

Beats the LT by ripping outside after reading play-action, swimming inside vs an over-set, and dipping around the edge with a ghost move pic.twitter.com/L3AyJj7LKA

— Taylor Kyles (@tkyles39) March 30, 2026

That 2nd one was just dirty.

I'm in the Mesidor/Howell camp at #27 and in that order. Both are filthy pass-rushing beasts.

Originally posted by Heroism:

Originally posted by OnTheClock:
I think Height could be really good in our system. If the size and age push him down farther than expected, say he somehow gets to our fourth.. That's an easy pick IMO.

The 4th round would be fantastic value for Height. I was thinking more along the lines of the 49ers drafting him at 58, which admittedly is a reach in my eyes. But we all know the 49ers love to do that.

The more I think about the current makeup of the DL, the more I feel like John Lynch is a good DPR pick and a healthy Bosa/Mykel from looking like a smart GM. Morris will help the run defense with different fronts/alignments; Alfred and CJ West will handle base down duties; Bosa+Osa+Mykel(whose work as an interior rusher was underrated last year)+rookie DPR could be a very potent pass rush.

Noooo big reaching at #58 lol

Too many good players in that area to reach for need. Please God have Lynch draft an EDGE at #27 so he doesn't reach for one at #58.

At #58 there could be one of the S that fall (Haulcy/Stukes), or Pregnon/Rutledge at G, one of the WRs (Boston/Bell/Hurst/Bernard/Brazzell/Williams/Bell), R Mason Thomas who is a superior EDGE could easily be there, and starting CB prospects like Neal/Abney, all of which IMO are at least a full round superior to Height.

Height at #127 good value - Height at #58 cannot get on board and pass on any of the players above. This is what not having pick #92 does - I am just resigned to knowing there are a lot of mid-late 3rd early 4th round guys that I really like that we are just not going to have an opportunity to draft.

Originally posted by Ezekiel38:
That 2nd one was just dirty.

I'm in the Mesidor/Howell camp at #27 and in that order. Both are filthy pass-rushing beasts.

Funny how we are so all-over-the-place when it comes to the draft. I questioned myself too. I remember you asking if we were high at taking Howell at #27. lol

Originally posted by Kolohe:

Originally posted by Ezekiel38:
That 2nd one was just dirty.

I'm in the Mesidor/Howell camp at #27 and in that order. Both are filthy pass-rushing beasts.

Funny how we are so all-over-the-place when it comes to the draft. I questioned myself too. I remember you asking if we were high at taking Howell at #27. lol

There will be a lot of fan bases and teams that are all over the place on who to take. Not a lot of great players but a lot of guys in that next tier.

Originally posted by Kolohe:

Originally posted by Ezekiel38:
That 2nd one was just dirty.

I'm in the Mesidor/Howell camp at #27 and in that order. Both are filthy pass-rushing beasts.

Funny how we are so all-over-the-place when it comes to the draft. I questioned myself too. I remember you asking if we were high at taking Howell at #27. lol

I remember this too!



Howell has grown on me. A lot. Plus he won't be there at #58. Once I saw he played like a filthy demon-possessed beast like Mesidor I was on board with him at #27 even though I think we could get him in the low -mid 30s

Originally posted by Ezekiel38:

Originally posted by Kolohe:

Originally posted by Ezekiel38:
That 2nd one was just dirty.

I'm in the Mesidor/Howell camp at #27 and in that order. Both are filthy pass-rushing beasts.

Funny how we are so all-over-the-place when it comes to the draft. I questioned myself too. I remember you asking if we were high at taking Howell at #27. lol

I remember this too!



Howell has grown on me. A lot. Plus he won't be there at #58. Once I saw he played like a filthy demon-possessed beast like Mesidor I was on board with him at #27 even though I think we could get him in the low -mid 30s

Trust me, I wall all sure about Caleb Branch at #27, my pick has changed about four times since then. lol

Originally posted by Ezekiel38:
Noooo big reaching at #58 lol

Too many good players in that area to reach for need. Please God have Lynch draft an EDGE at #27 so he doesn't reach for one at #58.

At #58 there could be one of the S that fall (Haulcy/Stukes), or Pregnon/Rutledge at G, one of the WRs (Boston/Bell/Hurst/Bernard/Brazzell/Williams/Bell), R Mason Thomas who is a superior EDGE could easily be there, and starting CB prospects like Neal/Abney, all of which IMO are at least a full round superior to Height.

Height at #127 good value - Height at #58 cannot get on board and pass on any of the players above. This is what not having pick #92 does - I am just resigned to knowing there are a lot of mid-late 3rd early 4th round guys that I really like that we are just not going to have an opportunity to draft.

IMO Height and Mason are reaches at 58. How is Thomas a superior rusher compared to Height? I think they win similarly and have some of the same issues.

I'd be more than happy with either, not a 58 though.

imo Osa at 92 is massively better than anyone that would be there in this draft.

Originally posted by Willisfn4life:
When it comes to what you see from edge rushers I trust much of your evaluations Hero. I admittedly have not seen Height since he left GA Tech. I saw alot of him the year before though and there is always some really nice flashes from him. Dude is quick off the ball. My single biggest criticism of him that year was the long stretches he disappeared though.

I appreciate that, bro! And hey, if you feel he disappeared for stretches, I think you should trust what you're seeing. There are a lot more people on here and all over the internet doing deeper evals than me. I'd put more stock in them than myself in 2026. At the end of the day, I'm just a guy on the WZ who knows a little about DL play.

Originally posted by Ezekiel38:
Noooo big reaching at #58 lol

Which means it has all the earmarks of a 49ers' pick. There's a very realistic scenario where the 49ers don't take an edge at 27 and reach for one of their guys at 58 because they 1) believe none of the guys they like will be there at 127 2) don't want to trade away any more picks to move up.

Originally posted by Heroism:

Originally posted by Willisfn4life:
When it comes to what you see from edge rushers I trust much of your evaluations Hero. I admittedly have not seen Height since he left GA Tech. I saw alot of him the year before though and there is always some really nice flashes from him. Dude is quick off the ball. My single biggest criticism of him that year was the long stretches he disappeared though.

I appreciate that, bro! And hey, if you feel he disappeared for stretches, I think you should trust what you're seeing. There are a lot more people on here and all over the internet doing deeper evals than me. I'd put more stock in them than myself in 2026. At the end of the day, I'm just a guy on the WZ who knows a little about DL play.

Originally posted by Ezekiel38:
Noooo big reaching at #58 lol

Which means it has all the earmarks of a 49ers' pick. There's a very realistic scenario where the 49ers don't take an edge at 27 and reach for one of their guys at 58 because they 1) believe none of the guys they like will be there at 127 2) don't want to trade away any more picks to move up.

I dont agree at all with him that R mason is a reach at 58. Height is a bit more of a reach but R Mason can easily be a 8+ sack guy as a DPR . It would not surprise me at all if he goes late first early 2nd there arent too many sack specialist this draft. He has the highest pressure to snap rate in the class and if it werent for his injuries he wouldve probably gone in first

Originally posted by ritz126:

Originally posted by Heroism:

Originally posted by Willisfn4life:
When it comes to what you see from edge rushers I trust much of your evaluations Hero. I admittedly have not seen Height since he left GA Tech. I saw alot of him the year before though and there is always some really nice flashes from him. Dude is quick off the ball. My single biggest criticism of him that year was the long stretches he disappeared though.

I appreciate that, bro! And hey, if you feel he disappeared for stretches, I think you should trust what you're seeing. There are a lot more people on here and all over the internet doing deeper evals than me. I'd put more stock in them than myself in 2026. At the end of the day, I'm just a guy on the WZ who knows a little about DL play.

Originally posted by Ezekiel38:
Noooo big reaching at #58 lol

Which means it has all the earmarks of a 49ers' pick. There's a very realistic scenario where the 49ers don't take an edge at 27 and reach for one of their guys at 58 because they 1) believe none of the guys they like will be there at 127 2) don't want to trade away any more picks to move up.

I dont agree at all with him that R mason is a reach at 58. Height is a bit more of a reach but R Mason can easily be a 8+ sack guy as a DPR . It would not surprise me at all if he goes late first early 2nd there arent too many sack specialist this draft. He has the highest pressure to snap rate in the class and if it werent for his injuries he wouldve probably gone in first

FWIW Matt Miller has R Mason as his 24th ranked player I believe. He really likes him even being undersized.

Pro day numbers from Kevin Jobity Jr., who the 49ers had a private workout with. Amounts to a 8.87 RAS Score.

Looks like a 3-4 End or 3-T

Dates: 03/16/26
Hand: 10
Arm: 33 1/4
Wingspan: 80 7/8

Height: 6044
Weight: 308
40 Yrd Dash: 5.03
20 Yrd Dash: 2.88
10 Yrd Dash: 1.69
225 Lb. Bench Reps: 22
Vertical Jump: 32
Broad Jump: 08'08"
20 Yrd Shuttle: 4.64
3-Cone Drill: 7.59