Forty-Niners Bet on Height as Pass Rusher

0:00On April 29th, the San Francisco 49ers just grabbed Ed rusher height in the draft, even though he's seen as undersized at 6'3", 139 lbs with 32-inch arms from the combine. Scouts like Dame Brugler flagged his wiry frame as a big issue, saying few slim guys like him stick around long-term as NFL pass rushers. Team brass knew about him early, with the GM John Lynch noting they had height-picked as a top pass rusher before a new defensive coordinator, Rahim Morris, arrived. Assistant GM RJ Gillin doubled down, comparing him to pass successes like D Ford in that specialized role. Fans and analysts are split, but the 49ers see his quickness shining in past only situations, especially after Bryce Huff retired, leaving a gap when Michael Williams slides inside on key downs. This setup lets height focus on rushing the quarterback on second and long, or third and long, hiding any run defense weaknesses.

1:00Brugler even projects him perfectly as a sub-package designated pass rusher. Bottom line, the 49ers are betting on archetype oversize, banking that height thrives right where they need him most this season. From around the league, powered by AI, this is NFL News Today.