Among the many roster needs the 49ers had was one at edge rusher, dubbed the “LEO” position in the 4-3 defensive scheme San Francisco will be running next season.
It is usually reserved for the team’s best pass-rusher, making it an integral component to the scheme’s success. Typically, the LEO is a smaller (in NFL terms), more agile defensive lineman as their primary task is being a stand-up pass-rusher.
So when the 49ers selected Stanford’s Solomon Thomas, initial questions centered around defensive end Arik Armstead.
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What did the selection of Thomas, who plays a similar position to Armstead, mean for the University of Oregon product?