49ers Rookie Expectations: Romello Height

Now that the 2026 NFL draft is over, it is a good time to look at realistic expectations for the draft picks' rookie seasons. While the rookie year will not define everything, it is a strong baseline for what to expect. What should the San Francisco 49ers expect from Romello Height?

Setting expectations for Romello Height as a rookie with the San Francisco 49ers

Romello Height has a specific skill set. He is undersized for his position and will likely be a designated pass rusher. To set an expectation, it is fair to think about what other designated pass rushers did in similar scenarios.

Since 2010, there have been 11 players who were below 245 pounds, but played edge rusher and were drafted between picks 50 and 100. These are the late second to third round players who have the same physical attributes and skill sets as Height.

The good news is that the majority of the players turned into role players at the very least. Azeez Ojulari, Malcolm Koonce, Jason Worilds, Josh Uche, Arden Key, and Zack Baun all became notable players, and all, aside from Worilds, who was drafted in 2010, are still active in the NFL. In the case of Baun, he did have to change positions, though.

San Francisco 49er — Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Another player drafted in this range with the same skill set is Nik Bonitto. This is clearly the best outcome from a player with Height's skill set and draft range in recent history. Of course, for the hits, there are the misses. Randy Gregory, Eli Harold, and DeAngelo Malone did not amount to much. Lastly, Princeley Umanmieleln was drafted in 2025.

So, throwing out the recent pick, there were ten players in this range. 20% turned out to be All-Pro quality, although Baun played a different position. 50% turned into quality role players, and 30% were misses. That is a fair expectation for Height and gives reason for optimism.

The bad news is that almost none of these players produced as rookies.

Ojulari had eight sacks in his rookie year, and that is his career high. The others had solid careers, but no one else eclipsed two sacks in year one. Baun, Harold, and Gregory had zero sacks, so if Height does not record a single sack, the position might not be suited for him.

Still, the rest had between two and two sacks, and that includes Bonitto.

Height is expected to see the field early, but history says that undersized pass rushers take longer to develop than expected. How many sacks will Height hit as a rookie?

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