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Will the 49ers Draft Arkansas DE Landon Jackson in Round 2?

Jackson has a non-stop motor and clearly loves the game considering he played special teams at Arkansas.
Grant Cohn|
Feb 26, 2025; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Arkansas defensive lineman Landon Jackson (DL52) during the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine at the Indiana Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Feb 26, 2025; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Arkansas defensive lineman Landon Jackson (DL52) during the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine at the Indiana Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

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San Francisco 49ers

The 49ers used to have the best defensive line in the league.

Now, the Eagles have it, and it's a big reason they just won another Super Bowl. Their defensive line completely dominated the Chiefs offensive line and essentially won the game because they were able to stop the run, collapse the pocket and prevent Patrick Mahomes from escaping. Checkmate.

Last season, the 49ers couldn't stop the run, collapse the pocket or prevent mobile quarterbacks from running. And their defensive line was the issue. That's why the 49ers gave up 1.5 yards before contact per rush last season -- eighth-worst in the league.

So don't be surprised if the 49ers draft defensive linemen with each of their first two draft picks this season. Perhaps a defensive tackle who fits their Wide 9 defensive front in Round 1, and a defensive end who excels against the run and pass in Round 2.

Landon Jackson is a second-round prospect who is outstanding against the run. He's also extremely big and athletic and was one of the most impressive players at the NFL Scouting Combine regardless of position. He has a non-stop motor and clearly loves the game considering he played special teams at Arkansas.

As a pass rusher, Jackson is a bit raw, but he has the tools to become a good one. He reminds me of a young Maxx Crosby. If he's available when the 49ers pick in Round 2, they absolutely should take him.

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Grant Cohn
GRANT COHN

Grant Cohn has covered the San Francisco 49ers daily since 2011. He spent the first nine years of his career with the Santa Rosa Press Democrat where he wrote the Inside the 49ers blog and covered famous coaches and athletes such as Jim Harbaugh, Colin Kaepernick and Patrick Willis. In 2012, Inside the 49ers won Sports Blog of the Year from the Peninsula Press Club. In 2020, Cohn joined FanNation and began writing All49ers. In addition, he created a YouTube channel which has become the go-to place on YouTube to consume 49ers content. Cohn's channel typically generates roughly 3.5 million viewers per month, while the 49ers' official YouTube channel generates roughly 1.5 million viewers per month. Cohn live streams almost every day and posts videos hourly during the football season. Cohn is committed to asking the questions that 49ers fans want answered, and providing the most honest and interactive coverage in the country. His loyalty is to the reader and the viewer, not the team or any player or coach. Cohn is a new-age multimedia journalist with an old-school mentality, because his father is Lowell Cohn, the legendary sports columnist for the San Francisco Chronicle from 1979 to 1993. The two have a live podcast every Tuesday. Grant Cohn grew up in Oakland and studied English Literature at UCLA from 2006 to 2010. He currently lives in Oakland with his wife.

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