49ers Host Oregon Linebacker on Top-30 Visit

It's no secret the 49ers are in the market for a linebacker.

Jan 1, 2024; Glendale, AZ, USA; Oregon Ducks linebacker Jestin Jacobs (4) against the Liberty Flames during the 2024 Fiesta Bowl at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

It's no secret the 49ers are in the market for a linebacker.

They just lost Dre Greenlaw who signed a three-year deal with the Denver Broncos. The 49ers tried to match the offer at the last minute but Greenlaw rejected them. Perhaps he felt personally slighted by their initial offer after all he had done for the franchise since 2019.

So the 49ers need to draft a replacement. And that's why they recently hosted Oregon linebacker Jestin Jacobs on a top-30 visit. That means Jacobs is one of 30 players the 49ers will meet with at their facility before the draft.

Jacobs is an intriguing choice for a top-30 visit considering the NFL did not invite him to the Combine and he is not projected to get drafted. Perhaps the 49ers view him as a late-round steal or a priority undrafted free agent. Defensive coordinator Robert Saleh has an incredible eye for talent at the linebacker position. Remember, he drafted Greenlaw in Round 5.

Oregon has another linebacker who is expected to get drafted in Round 4 or 5, and his name is Jeffery Bassa. He was invited to the Combine, and he posted similar athletic testing scores as Fred Warner, whom the 49ers drafted in Round 3 of the 2018 NFL Draft.

It's possible the 49ers could draft both Bassa and Jacobs on Day 3. They currently own 11 picks and have had tremendous success drafting Oregon players. See: Deommodore Lenoir, DeForest Buckner and Arik Armstead.