The 49ers made a clear investment in their defensive line during the 2025 NFL Draft, and while there were some promising flashes-especially from Alfred Collins, CJ West, and first-round pick Mykel Williams before his season-ending injury-it’s becoming increasingly likely that San Francisco isn’t done building in the trenches.
Here’s the reality: four of their defensive linemen are headed for unrestricted free agency. Yetur Gross-Matos showed some real flashes when healthy, but his injury history makes it tough to rely on him long-term.
The team could certainly bring back veterans like Jordan Elliott, Kevin Givens, and Clelin Ferrell to round out the rotation, but that would be more about patching holes than building for the future. And with the 49ers needing to get younger and more dynamic on defense, the emphasis should be on finding long-term answers-especially after a 2025 season where the pass rush disappeared without Nick Bosa and the run defense faltered late.
That’s why the Senior Bowl this week in Mobile, Alabama, is more than just a scouting exercise for San Francisco-it’s a chance to find immediate contributors on the defensive front. And if day one of practices was any indication, there’s talent to be had.
Let’s start with the National Team session, where the defensive line flat-out overwhelmed the offensive line. The standout?
Clemson’s T.J. Parker.
If you watched the 1-on-1 drills, you saw a player who looked every bit the part of a future NFL disruptor. Parker, who racked up 21.5 sacks and 41.5 tackles for loss over three seasons with the Tigers, put those numbers into context with a dominant showing.
At 6'3" and 263 pounds, he’s got the frame and the explosiveness to win with speed-to-power-something he put on full display when he bulldozed Maryland’s Alan Herron with a devastating long-arm move that drew plenty of sideline buzz.
Parker mostly played in a two-point stance at Clemson, but the traits are undeniable. He’s got the kind of twitch and physicality that the 49ers love in their edge rushers. And with Bosa and Bryce Huff carrying the load, adding another young, high-upside pass rusher like Parker could give this unit the depth and juice it sorely lacked when Bosa wasn’t on the field.
The American Team practice offered its own standouts, and Michigan’s Derrick Moore made sure his name was in the conversation. Measuring in at 6'3" and 254 pounds, Moore brought raw power and relentless effort throughout the session.
He was a force against the run during team drills, consistently crashing down and blowing up plays before they had a chance to develop. That kind of presence on the edge is exactly what San Francisco missed after Williams went down.
Moore’s final season with the Wolverines-10.5 tackles for loss and 10 sacks-backs up what he showed on the field in Mobile.
But as much as the 49ers need help off the edge, their interior pass rush might be the bigger concern. Collins and West are solid foundational pieces against the run, but they’re still developing as interior disruptors. And if Gross-Matos isn’t back, that leaves a hole in terms of someone who can kick inside and collapse the pocket from the middle.
That’s where a player like Zane Durant comes in. The Penn State defensive tackle, listed at 6'1" and 290 pounds, fits the mold of a penetrating 3-technique-a guy who can win with quickness, leverage, and a refined set of pass-rush moves.
Durant flashed all of that on day one, especially with a well-timed swipe move that left offensive linemen grasping at air. He’s the kind of mid-to-late-round prospect who could provide real value for a team like San Francisco, which has been missing that interior spark on passing downs.
The takeaway here is simple: while the 49ers saw some encouraging signs from their 2025 draft class, they’re not done building this defensive line. The need for young, high-upside talent-especially guys who can get after the quarterback and hold their own against the run-is still very real. And based on what we saw in Mobile, the 2026 draft class is offering up some intriguing options who could help right away.
San Francisco’s front office has shown it’s not afraid to invest in the trenches. Now it’s about finding the right pieces to complement their stars and build a unit that can dominate deep into January. The Senior Bowl might just be the place where that next foundational piece emerges.