The experts have weighed in on the San Francisco 49ers selection of Oregon defensive tackle Arik Armstead.
NFL.com's Bryan Fischer -A
"GM Trent Balkke likes to move around in the draft, and Thursday he managed to move back just a few spots and land a number of quality selections on Day 3. On top of that, the 49ers landed one of the most versatile defensive linemen available in Armstead, who can develop into a dominant player."
CBS Sports' Pete Prisco -B
"This kid has a ton of ability, but he didn't always play like it. Can he reach his potential on the next level? I think he can."
Bleacher Report's Mike Tanier -B
"Arik Armstead, who split time between football and basketball early in his career, will have to develop his leverage game. As for scheme, he should fit as a 3-4 end for a defense that slides fronts around, and while many have questioned Jim Tomsula's readiness to be a head coach or his grasp of human language skills, he's a well-regarded head coach... This was a safe, high-upside pick for a team that probably shouldn't be trying to do anything risky at this point."
SI.com's Doug Farrar -B-
"Oregon's Arik Armstead can play end or pass-rushing defensive tackle, and he has all the physical potential in the world, but the 6'7", 292-pound athletic freak is still learning the game. You'd want to see him quicker off the snap, and he's going to have to develop a more refined array of hand moves. If the 49ers are thinking of rebuilding over multiple years (and with all the defections, they should be), this pick makes sense, but Armstead could be overwhelmed early on at the NFL level."
Washington Post's Mark Maske -B-
"Questions were raised by some analysts about the consistency and reliability of DT Arik Armstead. But he is a gifted player. The 49ers have issues on defense because of some of their offseason losses. And they managed to get Armstead after trading down two spots."
More reaction to the selection of Armstead was shared on Twitter:
