NFL Mock Draft: 49ers use 11th Pick on Small School Player

This is not a mock draft the 49ers should follow.

Feb 27, 2025; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Marshall defensive lineman Mike Green (DL49) during the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine at the Indiana Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

It's officially NFL draft day.

That means mock drafts, theories, and speculation on who the San Francisco 49ers will take will end. But there is still time to squeeze in one more NFL mock draft update.

Pro Football Network's latest mock draft has the 49ers using their 11th pick on Marshall edge rusher Mike Green. He is a player I've hardly seen mocked to the 49ers, so this is a new one.

"The San Francisco 49ers could go in several different directions after some of the losses they faced in free agency, but they add another top pass-rusher to pair with Nick Bosa in this mock draft.

"After an All-American season in which he racked up 17 sacks, Mike Green is one of the top edge rushers in this NFL Draft. He’s a freak athlete who dominated the Sun Belt with his explosiveness, but he also has the technical skills to shed blocks and get into the backfield."

I'm not on board with Green. I get he had elite production, but as Pro Football Network explained, he didn't have the quality competition.

Drafting a player who produces at a small school with the 11th pick would be unwise. The 49ers cannot target Green with their pick.

There's just too much thinking of how he would look against stiffer competition. Chances are that he looks average when he has to play against excellent players.

Of course, there is always the chance that his skills translate. Khalil Mack was a small school prospect with great production, and he turned out splendidly.

Still, the 49ers can't roll the dice this early. Green is an easy pass.