Sergio Estrada-USA TODAY Sports
PFF: 49ers run defense needs a true nose tackle
Jul 19, 2018 at 3:19 PM
•
Videos are auto-populated by an affiliate. This site has no control over the videos that appear above.
Upon his signing last year, San Francisco 49ers defensive tackle Earl Mitchell was seen as someone who could help a struggling run defense which ranked last in the NFL the previous season. In fact, no team in franchise history had given up more rushing yards than the 2016 squad.
Pro Football Focus continues its 32-team offseason rankings with the
run defense being the latest entry in the series. The analytics site ranks the 49ers' unit at No. 28 while noting that the team needs a true nose tackle to improve.
"The 49ers run defense rank suffers here from the lack of a true nose tackle," writes Pro Football Focus. "Earl Mitchell's 5.0 run-stop percentage was the worst of any player in the NFL last season that had at least 300 snaps against the run."
Below are the top three 49ers when it comes to run-defense grades.
- Reuben Foster, LB, 90.9 run-defense grade
- DeForest Buckner, DT, 82.6
- Arik Armstead, DE, 79.7
The Pro Football Focus analysis team notes that the 49ers missed 11.4 percent of their tackles on run plays, which ranks at No. 16 in the NFL.
The 49ers run defense did see an improvement last year over the previous season. The unit allowed 165.9 rushing yards per game in 2016. That number improved to 116.3 in 2017, which ranked 22nd in the NFL.
Former NFL center turned NFL Network analyst Shaun O'Hara noted on
Good Morning Football on Thursday that the team used three first-round selections on defensive lineman (Arik Armstead, DeForest Buckner, Solomon Thomas) from 2015 through 2017 and used another on linebacker Reuben Foster. That is a substantial investment in the 49ers' defensive front.
"Yet, the 49ers defense ranked dead last against the run over the last two years," O'Hara said.
The 49ers' ranking by Pro Football Focus was the worst among NFC West teams with the Los Angeles Rams coming in at No. 21, the Arizona Cardinals at No. 23, and the Seattle Seahawks at No. 24.
Facebook Comments
More San Francisco 49ers News
49ers add tackle in latest NFL.com mock draft
Mock draft season is drawing to a close, and NFL Media analyst Charles Davis turned in his third and final installment ahead of the 2024 NFL Draft, set to commence tomorrow in Detroit.
It's widely anticipated that the San Francisco 49ers will bolster their offensive line with the No. 31 overall pick, and Davis doesn't stray from this expectation. With talents like Amarius Mims and Tyler Guyton off the board, Davis sees general manager John Lynch and his team selecting former Washington offensive tackle Roger Rosengarten.
"Having gone without a first-round pick in each of the past two drafts, the
Where the 49ers landed in PFF's latest power ranking
While it would be foolish to declare that the San Francisco 49ers lack any deficiencies, the team remains one of the most talented rosters in the NFL. That alone is enough to place them high on media power rankings.
The truth is, power rankings mean very little at this stage in the offseason. Yes, free agency has come and gone, but NFL rosters are about to undergo further changes this week, with the 2024 NFL Draft slated for Thursday.
Pro Football Focus' Amelia Probst posted a power ranking based on the analytics site's data on each roster and the offseason roster moves made so far. The San Francisco 49ers came in at No. 2, behind only the Kansas City
PFF high on this cornerback for 49ers in mock draft
Analyst Dane Brugler of The Athletic grades former Iowa State cornerback T.J. Tampa as a second or third-round draft pick and ranks him 55th overall on his big board. Pro Football Focus, however, holds a higher opinion of the young defensive back. In his latest mock draft, the site's lead analyst, Sam Monson, has the San Francisco 49ers selecting Tampa with the No. 31 overall pick.
"T.J. Tampa fits the prototype of a 49ers cornerback," Monson explains. "He has had consecutive seasons of very impressive play and allowed just 240 yards on 49 targets last season. The team doesn't necessarily need him to make an immediate impact, but they could
NFL Nation mock draft sees 49ers pivoting after run on tackles
ESPN recently conducted a mock draft involving its NFL Nation reporters, where each assumed the general manager role for the team they cover. This unique process benefits from selectors who are intimately aware of each team's needs.
The San Francisco 49ers are expected to address their offensive line with the No. 31 overall pick, marking the team's first first-round selection since 2021. Nick Wagoner, acting as general manager John Lynch, had to adapt his plan based on earlier selections taking several offensive tackles off draft boards.
With those options gone, Wagoner opted for former Missouri pass rusher Darius
