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Whether you believe the 49ers will draft a defensive lineman in the first round or not, they're certainly making it appear as though it's a strong chance. According to the contact list, the 49ers have had some sort of pre-draft interview with at least nine defensive line prospects. Included in those nine are four official visits one of them by Florida State's Eddie Goldman.
The Basics:
School: Florida State
Class: Junior
Height: 6-4
Weight: 336lbs
Arm length: 33 1/8"
Hands: 10 1/8"
40 yard dash: 5.27
Bench Press: 19 reps
Vertical Jump: 26"
3 cone: 7.62
20-yd shuttle: 4.87
*Results from FSU pro day. Goldman did not participate in February's Combine due to a late season ankle injury.
Pros:
- Demonstrated scheme versatility. Started every game in 2013 at end, which in FSU's scheme is similar to a 5T end in a 3-4. Moved to NT in 2014. Played well at both but excelled inside.
- Shows elite power when firing off the line.
- Uses arm length and strong hands to keep blockers from getting into his body.
- Very quick for his size. Appears to have extra burst toward the QB when he breaks free.
- Does a nice job of diagnosing plays early.
- Showed improvement each year at FSU.
Cons:
- Not a consistent pass rusher causing concern for his ceiling.
- On occasion he'll play himself out of the play by being overly aggressive.
- Doesn't bend well causing him to play too high at times where he can lose leverage against driving linemen.
- Will become a spectator on plays run away from him.
Doing Your Homework:
You can watch Goldman here vs. Louisville in 2014. It's a great example of what you love and hate about him as a prospect. He has a decent game but goes from utterly dominant in the first quarter to very lackluster in the second. You can also watch him game vs. Florida from 2014 over at DraftBreakdown.com
Why he fits the 49ers:
This one is quite simple. Despite the lack of a consistent pass rush from Goldman, the flashes he's shown are very impressive. I'm positive Jim Tomsula believes he can teach Goldman how to be a better pass rusher and overall player.
The 49ers need an interior pass rusher to complement Aldon Smith on the outside. Goldman's size and versatility is intriguing.
Why he doesn't fit the 49ers:
The 49ers have plenty of young run stopping defensive line talent. That's what Goldman is. And that's ok. He'll have a nice career in the NFL as a two-down run-defender (barring the evolution of pass rush). That type of prospect is probably not worth the 15th pick in the draft, at least for the 49ers.
What they're saying:
- NFL.com's Chase Goodbread said of Goldman: "There might not be a better defensive tackle in the draft when it comes to stopping the run."
- Goldman is called "a true student of the game" by FoxSports.Com's Ross Jones.
- Check out Goldmans's stats over at CFBstats.com.
Conclusion:
Eddie Goldman is a fine NFL prospect that should have a decent career. I'm just not sure the pass rush aspect of his game will ever be elite. Therefore, I don't think I'd spend a first round pick on him given the current depth situation for the 49ers.
Other teams, however, will be able to value Goldman's skill set more and ultimately I think he ends up being a first rounder. If he falls into the second and the 49ers are in position, it'd be tremendous value and extremely hard to pass up.