The 49ers enter Thursday’s NFL draft with quite a bit on their plates. The most obvious looming issue is the Brandon Aiyuk situation, with both Aiyuk and the team seeing Thursday as an inflection point on what might happen with Aiyuk’s contract going forward. But that is hardly the only big issue the 49ers are dealing with and, given the fact that it could be resolved even well after the draft with either a trade or a new contract, it’s not the most pressing.
Bulking up on the interior is a far more important task for the 49ers to complete. They could use help at both guard spots, though the offensive line played better as the season went on. And they could use help up the middle on the defensive side of the ball following the departure of star lineman Arik Armstead in free agency (the 49ers cut him).
The 49ers added depth with the signings of likely starter Maliek Collins and rotation player Jordan Elliott, but it would make some sense to invest heavily in a run-stopping anchor for the defensive line. And at The 33rd team, they have the 49ers dipping a toe into controversial waters with the drafting of 366-pound Texas defensive lineman T’Vondre Sweat, who was arrested on suspicion of DWI a little less than three weeks ago.
T’Vondre Sweat a Stretch at No. 63?
The 33rd team has the 49ers picking up Sweat in the second round, with the 63rd overall pick. That could well be a stretch for Sweat, despite a crowded trophy case from his three seasons with the Longhorns. Sweat was an Outland Trophy winner in 2023, as well as a unanimous All-American and the Big 12’s Defensive Player of the Year. In 14 games last year, he recorded 45 tackles, 8 tackles for loss, 2 sacks, 4 pass break-ups and one blocked kick.
There are questions, even, of whether he will be a Day 2 pick at all.
NFL.com projects him as a fourth-rounder, noting that his 366-pound playing weight is a concern. His 40-yard dash time was the slowest among all defensive linemen at 5.27 seconds, the slowest of any non-offensive lineman.
ESPN’s Matt Miller weighed in on Sweat’s draft status following his arrest and suggested, too, he would be a Day 3 pick.
“Considered a Day 2 prospect by most evaluators, Sweat’s stock is in jeopardy following the arrest,” Miller wrote. “The period between the combine and draft is often a test for prospects, and Sweat’s arrest this close to the draft limits the time he has to explain the incident to teams and assuage concerns.
“Because of that — and concerns over his playing weight at 366 pounds — most teams I’ve spoken to believe he’s a Day 3 selection.”
49ers Must Replace Arik Armstead
The 49ers might not want to take that chance. Sweat has enough ability to warrant a second-rounder pick but has seen his stock take a hit because of the arrest. If the 49ers have confidence that Sweat’s arrest was a youthful indiscretion, they could well be willing to overlook it and use their second-rounder on him.
They do need to replace Armstead for the long-term. Sweat has major long-term value.
Armstead was one of the top interior defensive linemen in the game during his time with the 49ers. We got a good look at how the 49ers fare without Armstead in the middle of the defensive line back in Week 15 against the Cardinals. The result was 234 yards rushing for the 49ers, a season-high in rush yards allowed and the team’s worst showing in that category since 2017.
Armstead missed the final five games of the regular season and it’s little wonder that those five games saw the 49ers give up 100-plus yards of rushing. They allowed 100-yard rushers just three times in the first 12 games of the season.
They need a young, talented Armstead-type, and Sweat could be the guy. A second-rounder feels too rich, but if the 49ers determine he is their man, expect them to pull the trigger on Sweat, legal woes and all.
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