The NCAA’s all-time sacks leader will meet one of the nation’s best passing attacks Saturday night in the Hawaii Bowl. So, 49ers and Raiders fans hoping their team will draft someone to harass quarterbacks next season might want to watch one player in particular.
Jaylon Ferguson, Louisiana Tech’s senior defensive end, owns a Football Bowl Subdivision-record 42.5 sacks in his career, and his final collegiate challenge will be a Hawaii offense that ranks sixth in passing yards (4,176) and fourth in touchdowns (41).
It's no secret that the 49ers and the Raiders' biggest need entering the 2019 NFL Draft is a pass rusher off the edge. The Raiders rank last in the NFL with just 12 sacks this season, and the 49ers are tied for 19th with 34. That’s where Ferguson could help.
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Ferguson’s lack of flexibility and bend hurts him as a prospect, so he probably won’t grade out as a first-rounder, as The Draft Network notes. Here you can see where those skills don't shine bright in a drill for every pass rusher.
https://twitter.com/DLineVids/status/1071456637091700736
He probably won’t be an NFL Scouting Combine All-Star, either, since he’s heavier (269 pounds) than other pure edge rushers. But he knows exactly how to use his hands and his length, plus he has great fundamentals at the point of contact.
Many peg Ferguson as a second-round draft pick, where the 49ers and Raiders will select at the top of Day 2. Even if Oakland already has addressed this position with its first-round pick, it still should take a long look at Ferguson if he’s available, since they lost both Khalil Mack and Bruce Irvin in questionable roster moves.
The 49ers are out of the top draft spot and the Nick Bosa race (for now), so they could address a different position at No. 4 overall, or trade out and acquire more picks. If Ferguson slides to them in later rounds, he could be a fit for much of the same reasons.
While Ferguson’s floor might be higher than his ceiling, his college production is nothing to yawn at -- 60 tackles (23.5 for loss), 15 sacks, two pass defensed, two forced fumbles and one fumble recovery in 2018. An NFL team could use someone with a lengthy history of wreaking havoc like that.
Here’s how 49ers and Raiders fans can watch Louisiana Tech against Hawaii in the Hawaii Bowl:
San Francisco 49ers
When: Saturday, Dec. 22, at 7:30 p.m. PT
TV Channel: ESPN
Live Stream: Watch ESPN