The San Francisco 49ers found their edge rusher in the draft. The team took Texas Tech’s Romello Height. He’s 6’3”, 239 pounds. The arm length of 32 1/4 is in the 12th percentile. He’s small, but he’s fast, like, really fast. Height’s speed popped when you watched the Red Raiders. He ran a 4.64 4 with a 39” vertical (94th percentile).
He was 74th on SB Nation’s big board, so this is right around the area Height was expected to be drafted. Height is the designed pass rusher the 49ers were looking for on obvious passing downs to move the quarterback off his spot and ideally into Mykel Williams, Nick Bosa, or Osa Odighizuwa.
Height shouldn’t be a surprise. He visited the 49ers in a top-30 visit. The 49ers found their designated pass rusher to replace Bryce Huff. Height has plenty of juice. If the 49ers don’t feel like they need an edge rusher early, Height’s style is closer to Bryce Huff. Not only does Height have the speed, but his effort also jumps out.
The sixth-year senior only lined up in a three-point stance 2% of the time last season. He had 9.5 sacks, 35 quarterback hits, and 59 pressures. His pressure rate was an outrageous 20%. Throw in 14 tackles for loss and getting that kind of production in the role Height would play at the end of the third round feels like solid value for the 49ers.
Height is the second player whose dad was a Marine. That reflects both of their efforts to play to and through the whistle, and do so violently.
Height was second among all EDGE rushers in this draft in win percentage at 22.5 percent, slightly behind Rueben Bain Jr.‘s 22.9%. Height was third in quick pressure percentage and fourth in pressure percentage.
