San Francisco 49ers: Three options at edge rusher in the first round of the draft

Arden Key, LSU

The final of the three potential first round edge rushers is Arden Key. Key is very different from the previous two prospects because he is not necessarily a lock to go in the first round. While it would be no surprise if he were to get selected in the back half of the first round, it would be even less of a surprise if he fell to the second round.

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It is not because of his play that he may fall to the second round, but it is more because of his off the field issues. Key took a four month leave from the LSU program after his sophomore season for “personal reasons.” On top of that he suffered from several nagging injuries after returning.

In terms of his play, he is very much a first year talent. He is not the fastest or strongest pass rusher, but he uses his length to his advantage extremely well. He earned all-SEC honors in both his sophomore and junior seasons.

He elected not to participate in the bench press or 40-yard dash during the combine which is a bit alarming given his concerns in those areas. This may also contribute to his possible fall in the draft.

Regardless of his weaknesses, Key can still be an effective pro if he ends up in the right situation.

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What makes him possibly appealing to the 49ers is the team could trade down twice and get to the back end of the first round and select him after adding extra assets.

If this is not something they wish to do, Key may not be the player for them, but the option is there.