49ers Pick Defensive End with "Incredible Ceiling" in New Mock Draft

If you've been following the 49ers, you know they most likely will draft a defensive lineman in Round 1 this year.

They've spent three first-round picks on D-linemen since John Lynch and Kyle Shanahan joined the team in 2017. They cut three starting D-linemen this offseason and replaced none of them in free agency. So they're looking for Day 1 starters in the upcoming draft.

That's why Sports Illustrated's Daniel Flick projects the 49ers to take Texas A&M defensive end Shemart Stewart with the 11th pick.

"San Francisco is no stranger to drafting projectable defensive linemen with elite tools, and Stewart fits the bill," writes Flick. "At 6' 6", 267 pounds, Stewart ran a 4.59 40-yard dash and notched a 40-inch vertical jump at the NFL combine. Production is his question—he tallied only 1.5 sacks and 5.5 tackles for loss in 2024—but Stewart has an incredible ceiling."

Flick is absolutely correct that the 49ers like taking chances on defensive linemen with elite athleticism but limited production. See: Solomon Thomas in 2017, and most recently Yetur Gross-Matos.

Stewart actually is quite similar to Gross-Matos. Both are big players who seem to have ideal bodies to play defensive end in a 4-3 defense. But neither one is a true edge rusher, and both are best suited to rush the quarterback from the interior as defensive tackles.

Drafting Stewart would be a mistake, but it's one I definitely can see the 49ers making. After all, they took Solomon Thomas with the 11th pick and Javon Kinlaw with the 14th pick. They value traits over actual production.

They also value players who graduate and play in the Senior Bowl. Last season, the 49ers drafted zero underclassmen. This year, Stewart played in the Senior Bowl, so you know he's on their radar.

Just say no, 49ers.

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