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The San Francisco 49ers selected Texas Tech defensive end Romello Height with the No. 70 pick in the 2026 NFL draft, despite concerns about his size. The team's executives believe Height can still be an impactful edge rusher.
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There was one clear knock on Texas Tech defensive end Romello Height when the San Francisco 49ers selected him with the No. 70 overall pick in the 2026 NFL draft. The 49ers aren't overly concerned about it.
Height is considered to be undersized for his position after measuring in at 6-3, 239 pounds with 32-inch arms at the NFL combine. The Athletic's Dane Brugler pointed out Height's lack of size twice in his NFL draft guide. The first weakness listed for Height was "high-cut, wiry frame and lacks ideal body mass for the position." Brugler was more blunt in his overall takeaway, writing "there aren’t many edge rushers with Height’s slender size profile who find sustained NFL success."
Two 49ers front office executives who spoke with NBC Sports Bay Area's Matt Maiocco didn't sound like they're worried about how Height's size will translate to the NFL. Vice president of player personnel Tariq Ahmad believes the 49ers at the 70th overall pick landed an impact edge rusher.
"We had him on the board before (defensive coordinator) Raheem (Morris) got here," Ahmad said via Maiocco. "He’s someone we identified as being one of the premier pass rushers in this class.”
Assistant general manager RJ Gillen pointed directly to Height's size and said he fits the mold of pass rushers the 49ers have had success with in the past.
"It is a player archetype we’ve used in the past, like with Dee Ford," Gillen told Maiocco. "The DPR (designated pass rusher) kind of guys. It’s not something we’re unfamiliar with.”
The designated pass rusher role always appeared to be ideal for Height. After Bryce Huff's retirement the 49ers had a need for a player who could come in and play off the edge when kicked inside on passing downs. That type of player doesn't necessarily need to be a stout run defender since they're more often than not going to be on the field in situations where the offense is likely passing (second-and-long, third-and-long, etc).
Romello Height is considered undersized for a defensive end, measuring 6-3 and 239 pounds, which raises questions about his ability to succeed in the NFL.
The 49ers believe Height is one of the premier pass rushers in the draft class, despite concerns about his size, and they had him on their board prior to hiring their defensive coordinator.
Experts like Dane Brugler have pointed out that few edge rushers with Height's slender size profile achieve sustained success in the NFL, indicating skepticism about his long-term viability.
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It's the role where Height's skill set can be maximized, and his deficiencies can be masked. Brugler also wrote that Height "projects as a sub-down designated pass rusher in the NFL." And that role is exactly what the 49ers have in mind.
This article originally appeared on Niners Wire: NFL draft: 49ers have specific role in mind for Romello Height