SANTA CLARA -- On Saturday, the 49ers added firepower to their already star-studded defensive line.
With the No. 173 overall pick of the 2023 NFL Draft, general manager John Lynch and coach Kyle Shanahan selected Georgia edge rusher Robert Beal Jr.
Beal (6-foot-3, 247 pounds) was a part time player at Georgia, starting 10 games of the 59 he appeared in. The fifth year senior registered 49 tackles --10.5 for loss -- and 9.5 quarterback sacks in his final two seasons as a Bulldog.
Seen as needing development as a pass rusher in technical aspects, Beal will be in the best situation under 49ers defensive line coach Kris Kocurek while learning from his high-octane new teammates in the trenches.
The 49ers were the top-ranked defense during the 2022 NFL season, but Lynch and Shanahan have a goal to make the defensive line even more dominant. They signed free agent Javon Hargrave to join Arik Armstead on the interior of the line and drafted Beal to learn and play opposite of reigning Defensive Player of the Year Nick Bosa.
Bosa was a one-man wrecking crew in 2022, racking up 18.5 quarterback sacks and 98 total quarterback pressures. Outside of the former No. 2 overall pick of the 2019 NFL Draft however, the rest of the group was less productive.
Samson Ebukam, who signed with the Indianapolis Colts as a free agent, registered the second most sacks (5.0) and 50 total pressures in 2022. The 49ers also lost Charles Omenihu (4.5 sacks), who signed with the Kansas City Chiefs, and Jordan Willis (2.0 sacks), who now is a member of the Las Vegas Raiders.
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The 49ers will be looking for more production from Drake Jackson on the edge after a quick start to his rookie season. The USC product spent much of the end of 2022 as a game-day inactive and is hoping Kocurek can help him improve in his sophomore season.
Beal will compete with Clelin Ferrell and Austin Bryant, who each signed a one-year deals with the club. The 49ers are hoping the competition will bring the production of the defensive line up to the level of their group in 2019.