The San Francisco 49ers will be on hand at the NFL Scouting Combine over the next week evaluating draft prospects. Pass rushers will be on the radar, and this draft class has plenty. The 49ers are expected to address the position early and could take the best available pass rusher with the No. 2 overall pick.
The consensus best pass rusher in the draft is Nick Bosa of Ohio State. He could be selected No. 1 overall by the Arizona Cardinals. Should the Cardinals go in another direction, the 49ers will likely count their blessings and select Bosa. If he is gone, San Francisco may look to trade down, add to its six draft picks, and take a pass rusher later.
There are options for the 49ers, but Steve Wyche of NFL Network knows the focus in the draft is to improve the edge of the defensive line.
"You won't talk to anybody within that organization who won't tell you that they've been patient with John Lynch and Kyle Shanahan," Wyche said on Up to the Minute. "But they do want to get a pass rusher. I've spoken to people there.
"So if you're Arizona, when you're coming out of the combine, you better be hyping up [Nick] Bosa or Rashan Gary, one of these players, to maybe see if you can get the 49ers to come up a spot if they're sweet on one of those players if that's the route they want to go."
Then there is Antonio Brown. Wyche expects to learn more at the combine about the 49ers' (or any team's) interest in the Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver. Brown has expressed interest on social media in playing for Shanahan and company since New Year's Eve when the receiver responded to a tweet by tight end George Kittle.
Wyche acknowledges that the 49ers still need to add playmakers. The team will be getting quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo and running back Jerick McKinnon back this season, but a player like Brown will help the offense stretch the field.
"But their most important emphasis when it comes to the draft is to get that pass rusher and fill in some other spots on defense," Wyche continued. "So that's likely where they're going to go even though they've drafted heavy on the defensive line the past three seasons."
