The San Francisco 49ers clearly need a face-lift on the defensive side of the ball. A team that once proud themselves on imposing their will down in the trenches, it’s the linebacker unit that needs help.
The linebacker unit has taken a huge hit with plenty of losses. From the heart and soul of the team’s defense ILB Patrick Willis to the best young linebacker in the game ILB Chris Borland, those two losses created a huge void at inside linebacker and as a result the defense has not been the same since.
However, help should be on the way, as there is one promising inside linebacker who I believe the 49ers should target in next year’s NFL Draft, who would not only complement ILB NaVorro Bowman but ease the blow of losing both Willis and Borland — that player is LB Jaylon Smith.