5 Edge Rushers the 49ers Must Avoid in the 2026 NFL Draft

Do not draft these players.

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The San Francisco 49ers are expected to draft an edge rusher at some point in the 2026 NFL draft. While there are plenty of options to choose from, some options would end up being disappointing picks for San Francisco. Who should they avoid?

Keldric Faulk, Auburn

The good news for the 49ers is that Faulk is likely to be drafted by the 27th pick. However, his lack of production brings just enough questions that there is a chance he will be in play. If that is the case, the 49ers have to pass. He is too similar to Mykel Williams. He is big, physical, athletic, but lacks polish. The 49ers need a complement to Williams, not a copy of him. 

Zion Young, Missouri

Zion Young comes out with a very similar mold. He looks like what the 49ers draft in their edge rushers, but he lacks the juice and ability to explode, which makes you wonder if he can provide pass rush in the NFL. More than that, Young is one of those spots where taking him at 27th overall would feel rich, but it would be surprising if he fell to pick 58. He is out of the range for the 49ers. 

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Derrick Moore, Michigan 

Moore is a good pass rusher, but he wins with a bull rush and does not win with many other counters or speed rushes. That can work at times in the NFL, but he will get stalled out by stronger and more proficient linemen more and will not be able to bully them in the same way. The 49ers want speed in their rusher, not a one-trick pony with power. 

Caden Curry, Ohio State

Curry has a lot of traits to enjoy. He plays with his hair on fire and knows how to win as a rusher. However, his arm length is just over 30”, which is in the 0th percentile amongst NFL rushers. He does not have the physical traits, and it shows too often in college to think he can survive it in the NFL. 

Trey Moore, Texas 

Moore went to the NFL combine and tested as a highly athletic player. He could be viewed as a speed rusher by the 49ers, but he is likely too small to hold up on the edge. Texas did not trust him and played him in a linebacker role last season. This is a project to find a potential outlier, which is a pass.