The top defensive prospects for San Francisco’s plan

San Francisco 49ers general manager John Lynch speaks to the press on the first day of training camp, Tuesday, July 25, 2023, in San Jose, California (Karl Mondon/Bay Area News Group)

I, a 35 year old man, have been neglecting my family and other responsibilities for the past few months by spending time with guys at college.

Few things in sports are as interesting or compelling to me as the NFL Draft, so night after night (starting well before the Niners’ run to the Super Bowl) I’ve been playing some college football and getting to work to the class of 2024.

Unlike previous lessons, it is a great harvest that has proven well worth the time.

I could give you all a list of all potential customers, but there are plenty of those lists. Should I send you the CliffNotes instead?

Here are my favorite defensive prospects for the 49ers in this upcoming draft, broken down into early (top 50), mid (top 150), and late picks:

Defensive end

Early: Darius Robinson – Missouri

The Niners need someone who can play 5-techniques (lined up from the outside shoulder of the tackle) if their Wide-Nine defensive front is to work. That’s what Arik Armstead paid (and paid) before the Niners moved him to defensive tackle, and the team’s run defense suffered.

Robinson provides an answer here, as he can play any technique on the line at a high level. He is huge, 6 feet tall and 285 pounds, but can move like a much smaller man. Slide him inside or outside and he will win, and his strength and ability to control blockers will be a welcome addition to a line that has relied too much on agility in recent seasons.

Center: Brennan Jackson – Washington State

He’s not very fun to watch, but he plays with a brutal motor, has solid size (even if that includes shorter arms) and is a tactician. He will set a lead and hold it, something the 49ers’ strong defensive ends failed to do in 2023. In a classroom full of projects and projections, Jackson is a professional.

Late: Trajan Jeffcoat – Arkansas

His downer in the SEC was that he didn’t play with a consistent motor – that he showed greatness and then faded away. Since he would be a late pick, no one will put him on the field for all three downs, so a missing engine doesn’t seem like a problem to me. I choose to focus on what Jeffcoat can do, which is winning reps off the edge and sliding inside on one-gap pass-rush downs. That’s something the 49ers could use.

Defensive tackle

Early: Ruke Orhorhoro – Clemson

Orhorhoro fits perfectly into the 49ers’ one-gap front and has a blistering first step and the kind of tenacity that will put him in the backfield repeatedly at the NFL level.

Center: T’Vondre Sweat – Texas

The athletic testing numbers don’t mean much, but the tape speaks volumes. At 366 pounds, he is a one-man defense. While a player of this stature will be a departure for the Niners, it could be a welcome change as Sweat can also throw off high-level blockers and make flash plays on par with any pass rusher in this class. There’s a reason why this man was the obvious choice to win the Outland Trophy last season. The reason he’s available in the middle rounds? Character concerns. Sweat may not be a Golden Helmet type player (the Niners’ award for elite players on and off the field), but his on-field production was so impressive that it’s worth overlooking.

Late: Jaden Crumedy – Mississippi State

He has a special movement ability for a 300-pound man, and his highs match those of anyone in this class. His problem is a questionable engine. Again, who cares with a Day 3 pick as to who will be at their best situational? Crumedy played for four head coaches at Mississippi State and I am fascinated to see how he would perform if placed in a stable environment like San Francisco.

Linebacker

Early: none

This is a bad linebacker class and while the Niners certainly won’t draft a linebacker early, they shouldn’t even consider any player in the top-100.

Center: Carlo Gray – North Carolina

Gray, my favorite linebacker in this class, recorded more than 100 tackles in each of his last three college seasons. He sees the ball and gets the ball, showing elite instincts and range in both the passing and run games. He is considered a bit small and perhaps not as strong as he should be. I don’t see how that should override three years of exceptional play in a top conference. Gray will be a stud, there is no reason to think about that too much.

Late: Nathanial Watson – Mississippi State

Watson, another top player with off-the-field issues, had 250 tackles in his last 25 college games, with an absurd 25 tackles for loss and 16 sacks. Those are staggering figures. And he did that in the SEC. Watson is out for blood on the field, a la Dre Greenlaw, and I don’t see a problem with that.

Cornerback

Early: Cooper DeJean – Iowa

Here’s your starting nickelback, your backup on the outside and at free safety, your starting punter and kick returner, and probably your scout team quarterback as well. There is nothing hyped or fake about DeJean: he is an athlete of the highest caliber and a game changer on defense and special teams. He is an elite reporter and a sure go-getter, he is the truth wherever you put him. And that versatility only makes it more valuable. If the Niners are lucky enough to have him fall to them at the end of the first round, they would need less than 5 seconds to make the pick.

Center: Kamari Lassiter – Georgia

He was the best cornerback on the best defense in America and went against the best receivers in the country in the SEC (if you doubt that statement, wait until next year’s draft class). At some point last season, teams stopped throwing it his way altogether. He didn’t have a game last year where he allowed more than one catch. So I don’t care that he lacks elite physical attributes. He is one of the few corners in this class who has convinced me he can actually play the position with polish and smarts. Take him and prosper.

Late: Isaiah Johnson – Syracuse

The Dartmouth graduate stands 6-foot-4 and 205 pounds and can block and hold receivers at the line. He lacks elite straight-line speed (4.6 40-yard dash), but tested off the charts in everything else. You buy Johnson for the smarts and hope he can translate his athletic skills to the field with better coaching. If he ever put it together, he would steal the design. I’ve definitely seen worse players who were taken earlier and given a lot more rope.

Safety

Early: Javon Bullard – Georgia

An exceptional prospect and the only safety I would consider in the top 100. Bullard shows preternatural instincts despite being one of the youngest players in this draft class. You can play it at all three levels and receive production. His lack of elite testing will push him down the rankings – that’s a win for whichever team drafts him. Being a safety is marginally about athleticism.

Center: Cole Bishop – Utah

I know 49ers general manager John Lynch loves this guy. Bishop is a bopper – get him in the box and watch him clean up the mess left and right. His coverage skills are solid, if not spectacular, which puts him at this level.

Late: Tykee Smith – Georgia

Smith can play at all three levels and has the ability to finish with the ball. He is a jack of all trades and a master of none, but that is positive for a depth piece. With his explosion towards the ball and bad intentions when tackling, he should at least be an impactful special teams player.

Defensive end

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