One Perfect Edge RusherTarget for the 49ers in Each Round of the Draft

Edge rusher is a huge need.

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The San Francisco 49ers are expected to take an edge rusher at some point in the 2026 NFL draft. Who are the best possible options to fall to them in every round?

Round 1: TJ Parker, Clemson 

Parker would be a great fit in round 1. The reason that you do not see this fit so much is that he only has a 47% chance of falling to the 27th overall based on mock draft aggregation. Still, if he did fall to 27, he would be an instant fit. He brings tenacity in the pass rush but is solid against the run as well. 

Round 2: R Mason Thomas, Oklahoma 

R Mason Thomas goes around the 50th pick in most mock drafts, so this is another scenario where they are hoping for a best-case scenario pick. He is a bit too one-dimensional to be a round one pick, but he brings speed, burst, and relentless pursuit as a pass-rushing specialist. The 49ers should not look for run defense upside, but that is not what they need in a Bryce Huff replacement. 

Round 4: Romello Height, Texas Tech 

Height is another player who is going to be a pass rusher only in the NFL. He is too small and lacks the power to defend the run. He is not quite as explosive as R Mason Thomas, either, so there is a good chance that he could fall into this round 4 range. If so, he is their best option.

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Round 4: Jaishawn Barham, Michigan 

Barham played a role similar to Jalon Walker at Georgia, and we know that Raheem Morris liked that still set. Barham is less refined and has less experience on the edge than Walker did last year, but that is why Walker went in round 1, and Barham may be around in the fourth. 

Round 4: Joshua Josephs, Tennessee 

Josephs looks like an edge rusher with a thick build and long arms. He has pass-rushing moves, but has not strung them together well enough to be regarded as a consistent pass-rushing specialist. That is why he is slipping into round 4 in projections. 

Round 4: Max Llewellyn, Iowa 

Llewellyn plays with his hair on fire; he has a couple of pass-rushing moves, and he gets off the football well. However, he plays too upright against the run and, for now, would be involved on pass-rushing downs only. This is a great fit in round 4.