Meet the most interesting player from the 49ers' 2026 NFL draft class

New San Francisco 49ers linebacker Jaden Dugger might be their most interesting selection in the 2026 NFL draft.

Dugger is a different style of linebacker than the players San Francisco has brought in at the position over the last couple of years. Players like Dee Winters, Nick Martin and Tatum Bethune all fit similar molds in terms of size and skill set. Dugger is a dramatic departure from that.

We typically see San Francisco add undersized LBs who project almost exclusively as Will LBs, although we did see Bethune step in as the Mike LB when Fred Warner got hurt last season. Dugger offers a different element with his size, though, which opens more avenues for him to get on the field.

He began his college career as a safety before moving to linebacker, which gives him an array of skills when lining up in the second level.

The rosiest outlook on Dugger's development paints a picture of an extremely versatile chess piece on San Francisco's defense. At nearly 6-5, 242 pounds with 35-inch arms, it's easy to see Dugger lining up as an edge rusher in some situations, or at least being an effective pass rusher as a blitzer. He posted eight sacks in his college career.

His time as a safety means he can also play in space, though, where his 4.6 speed becomes an asset in coverage, and his size allows him to match up against bigger tight ends and running backs. A linebacker who can rush the passer, drop in coverage, while having the size to not get swallowed up by offensive linemen climbing to the second level in the run game is a defensive coordinator's dream.