San Francisco leans on veteran steadiness while betting on raw edge talent to fill gaps. Trent Williams offers a calm anchor as the roster mixes upside with risk on the outside.
The 49ers drafted Romello Height in the third round, 70th overall. He lacks prototypical size to succeed as an edge rusher at the NFL level, which could limit his upside to that of a rotational player, though having landed in San Francisco, Height is in solid position to thrive as a situational pass rusher behind Nick Bosa (ACL) and 2025 first-round pick Mykel Williams (ACL). Tracking this trend over three seasons shows San Francisco often prizes scheme fit over pure athleticism on the edge. The front office leans on Williams to school the room and shorten learning curves for pass-rushers adjusting to pro timing and gap discipline.
The balance lets the front office preserve veteran know-how while developing young pass-rushers without rushing the timeline. For complete coverage, see Nick Bosa Recovery Shapes 49ers Edge Plans for 2026 Season.
