This NFL Combine Riser Makes Sense for the 49ers in the Draft

The San Francisco 49ers are going to be looking to add a pass-rushing threat in the 2026 NFL draft this offseason. One of the big winners of the NFL combine was Dani Dennis-Sutton from Penn State. Will he be in consideration for the 49ers, and at what point in the draft will that happen?

Dani Dennis-Sutton's strengths

Dani Dennis-Sutton is a long-limbed edge rusher who plays with power and can attack in the run game. He plays with violent hands and knows how to use his arms to his advantage. As a pass rusher, he has a variety of moves, including a spin move. An ability to switch up moves and relentless pursuit of the quarterback allowed him to post 8.5 sacks in back-to-back seasons.

He has been a riser throughout the draft process, flashing as one of the better rushers at the Senior Bowl, and being one of the few rushers to compete in all drills, excelling across the board.

Dani Dennis-Sutton's weaknesses

He is still a bit unrefined as a pass rusher still. He struggles to have the instincts to explode upfield and can get stailmated by tackles who are bigger than him. If he can learn to improve his pad level and bend around the edge, his upside could be unleashed.

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Dani Dennis-Sutton Pro Comparison

Athletically, Dani Dennis-Sutton has a lot of strong comparisons in part due to a stellar performance at the NFL combine. One name that stands out as a similar comparison is Brian Burns. Both are long-limbed rushers who play with their hair on fire against the run and are good at cleaning up sacks with their non-stop motor. They are both a bit unrefined, but when they are able to let their athletic nature show, they can flash peak highs as pass rushers.

Dani Dennis-Sutton fit with the San Francisco 49ers

Dennis-Sutton is exactly the type of player that the 49ers look for in their edge rushers. He is long-limbed and can defend the run first. However, unlike some of their edge rushers, he has legitimate pass-rushing upside. He has flashed it with 8.5 sacks this season, and he showed there is more to be untapped in his athletic nature. A lot of the traits he flashed at the combine have not been unleashed on tape yet.

Dennis-Sutton is currently ranked as the 74th player, meaning if the 49ers want him, they will have to draft in the second round. He is a riser after the combine, so it may not be a surprise if he is ranked 58th or lower by the time the NFL draft comes. If Dennis-Sutton is on the board at pick 58, it is harder to see a better combination of need and best player in the draft.