What will the San Francisco 49ers do with the No. 27 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft? With some key areas to address, one NFL Draft analyst has the perfect fit for the 49ers to upgrade a pass rush that only record 20 total sacks in 2026.
According to NFL.Com’s Daniel Jeremiyah, the 49ers would score a big win at the position if they drafted UCF’s Malachi Lawrence. The addition of Lawrence as the team’s top pick would pair him with a healthy Nick Bosa and Mykel Williams, who would be returning from season-ending injuries.
Standing at 6-foot-4, 253 pounds, Lawrence is an edge rush prospect who has been skyrocketing up draft boards following an impressive NFL Scouting Combine performance.
Why Daniel Jeremiah loves this fit for the San Francisco 49ers
Athletic, fast and powerful, Jeremiyah feels Lawrence is a great fit for the 49ers’ defensive scheme and just the right player to compliment both Bosa and Williams.
“When you talk about guys who fit that scheme, you’ve got to feel their juice off the edge and (Lawrence), he brings that,” Jeremiah said, via NFL.com. “The run (stopping) stuff, he’s got to get a little better. There’s times he gets stuck at the point of attack. He needs to improve.
“But if you told me Malachi Lawrence, you could handpick him to play in one defense, “I’d send him to San Francisco.”
Projected as a late first-round, early Day 2 pick, Lawrence to the 49ers at No. 27 is a great pick given the team’s needs going into the 2026 NFL Draft. In earning First-team All-Big 12 honors, Lawrence finished the 2025 season at UCF with 28 total tackles and 11.0 sacked. He also had two forced fumbles and showed off his athleticism with three passes defensed. In all, he recorded a pressure rate of 22.7 percent and a total ProFootball Focus (PFF) pass-rush grade of 89.5 which is classified as elite when it comes to pass rushing.
With those strengths, there are some weaknesses that could push Lawrence back to a Day 2 pick like his run defense deficiency highlighted by Jeremiyah. Lawrence must work on his ability to burst through gaps and get to running backs. He also must work on his scheme discipline and setting the edge. If he improves on those aspects of his game at the next level, he could be one of the steals of the draft.
As far as 49ers and other draft needs, offensive tackle is a glaring need. If a player like Lawrence or even another highly graded edge rusher is not there at No. 27, San Francisco could turn their sights on tackle prospect to succeeded Trent Williams. Depending on how the draft board plays out, the 49ers could be a sweet spot for Alabama’s Kadyn Proctor, Utah’s Caleb Lomu, Clemson’s Blake Miller or Arizona State’s Max Iheanachor.
If all those players are still on the board when the 49ers select, they will have quite a decision. Taking Lawrence is the most intriguing because of his upside and how he could develop playing behind and with a player like Bosa. As far as pure talent, this NFC West squad would suddenly have an interesting trio of pass rushers.
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