One Surprising Position the 49ers Might Pass on in Round 1

This might shock you.

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The San Francisco 49ers are widely expected to address the edge rusher position at some point in the 2026 NFL Draft. While many projections have them targeting the position in the first round, there is a strong case that their best approach could be waiting until the second round.

Why the San Francisco 49ers may wait on edge rushers in the 2026 NFL Draft

When looking at the edge rusher board, the top tier is expected to come off early. Prospects such as David Bailey, Arvell Reese, and Reuben Bain Jr. are all projected to be gone by pick ten. Beyond that, most projections also have Keldric Faulk, Akeem Mesidor, and T. J. Parker off the board in that same general range.

That leaves the 49ers potentially looking at the next tier of edge rushers if they stay at their current pick. In that scenario, they could be choosing from a group that is viewed as a step below the top options, creating the possibility of a tier break at the position.

According to consensus mock draft data, players such as Cashius Howell, Zion Young, Malachi Lawrence, R. Mason Thomas, Gabe Jacas, Derrick Moore, and Dani Dennis-Sutton are all projected to go between picks 33 and 64. That creates a group of seven additional edge rushers who could be available in the second-round range.

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The decision for San Francisco becomes whether to reach for one of those players in the first round or wait and hope one falls. If six edge rushers were selected within the first 26 picks, it is not unrealistic to see a similar run continue into the early second round. That could push the 49ers toward selecting one earlier.

At the same time, several teams have already addressed edge rusher, and others may not prioritize the position. That increases the likelihood that at least one or two of these prospects could still be available when the 49ers pick in the second round.

There is also a broader roster-building question involved. If the gap between the seventh and thirteenth edge rushers is minimal, the 49ers may prefer to address another position first. For example, selecting a wide receiver like KC Concepcion in the first round and then taking a similarly graded edge rusher in the second round could be more appealing than the reverse scenario. A second-round receiver option such as Germie Bernard, may not provide the same value relative to the position that the edge rushers do.

Because of that, the 49ers may focus on how the board falls rather than forcing a selection based on need. Even with edge rusher being a priority, the structure of this draft could push them to wait until the second round to address the position.