20-sack DE seen identified as 'ideal pick' for 49ers in 2026 NFL draft

The San Francisco 49ers attempted to improve their group of pass rushers last offseason, taking Mykel Williams in the first round of the 2025 NFL draft out of Georgia and trading for Bryce Huff right before the season started.

Williams suffered a season-ending torn ACL, which could impact his start to the 2026 season, and Huff shockingly retired with one year left on his contract.

With that information, the 49ers may consider attacking the group again early in the 2026 NFL draft, and Bleacher Report's Brent Sobleski even went as far as to call UCF's Malachi Lawrence the "ideal pick" for San Francisco in the first round.

"The 49ers' setup is perfect for UCF's Malachi Lawrence, because he's not an every-down defender at this point in his development. However, he has the physical tools and athletic profile to instantly boost San Francisco's defensive front on passing downs," Sobleski wrote.

"Lawrence can primarily serve as a designated pass rusher early in his career and enter the lineup as part of sub-packages, where Williams reduces down into an interior role, thus getting the team's three biggest defensive line investments on the field at the same time."

The 22-year-old was a three-star recruit out of duPont Manual High School in Louisville, Kentucky, before committing to Central Florida. He went on to record 72 tackles, 20 sacks, five passes defensed, three forced fumbles and one fumble recovery in 39 games over four seasons.

San Francisco hosted Lawrence for a top-30, pre-draft visit this month, showing just how interested they are in the 6-foot-4 defensive end. Allowing Williams and Lawrence to rotate opposite could really help Raheem Morris' defense reach their potential in 2026.