In his latest first-round projection, NBC Sports Bay Area mocker Matt Maiocco has the San Francisco 49ers using the No. 27 overall pick to add edge rusher Cashius Howell from Texas A&M, a choice aimed at shoring up a pass rush that finished last in the NFL in sacks last season. Maiocco’s fourth mock draft, released after the NFL Annual Meeting and as attention turns toward April’s draft, frames Howell as a situational pass rusher who could provide immediate depth opposite or alongside established star Nick Bosa once Bosa returns to full health.
Howell, a Texas A&M edge, is projected by Maiocco to be the kind of rotational weapon who can come in on passing downs and create pressure without bearing the immediate burden of being a full-time starter. That profile fits a 49ers roster that still expects a boost from Bosa but lacks consistent production from its other outside rushers. San Francisco’s defensive struggles in finishing last in sacks last season have been a recurring offseason storyline, and adding a specialist as a complementary piece is one straightforward way to begin addressing that shortcoming.
The 49ers also enter the draft with another notable roster question: left guard. Maiocco’s mock notes that left guard remains a spot without an obvious starter, yet suggests it may be too early to reach for that position at No. 27. General manager John Lynch is flagged as someone who could shop the pick to move down if the right trade partner surfaces, but finding a willing buyer intent on ascending into the late first round is never a simple exercise. That flexibility helps explain why the team could comfortably select the best available edge option in Howell if he is on the board.
Maiocco’s projection comes amid a full 32-pick map that includes other major storylines — from a projected top pick at quarterback to teams prioritizing offensive line reinforcements early. But the 49ers’ selection reflects a narrower drafting philosophy: prioritize immediate impact and situational specialists when a roster has established stars like Bosa but thin supporting casts. Howell’s expected role as a situational pass rusher would be to accelerate pressure packages and relieve some of the load on interior and other outside rushers, especially on obvious passing downs.
Howell’s arrival, according to Maiocco’s scenario, would not be presented as a cure-all for San Francisco’s pass-rush problems but as a practical step toward improvement. The 49ers re-signing or relying on Bosa’s return is cast as a foundational element, while the organization’s mid-round and late-round picks — as well as any free-agent pickups — would likely be tasked with filling out rotational depth and addressing interior protection on offense if left guard remains unsettled.
As the draft approaches in April, mock drafts such as Maiocco’s will continue to evolve with pro days, private workouts and changing team needs. For the 49ers, the choice between addressing a clear offensive-line question or adding another edge rusher to help a struggling pass rush will be among the more closely watched decisions late in the first round. Maiocco’s pick of Cashius Howell represents one concrete path the team could take to rectify last season’s deficiency in sacks while preserving flexibility at other roster spots.