UCF's Malachi Lawrence Lands With Super Bowl Hopeful in Last-Minute Mock
On Thursday, April 23, the 2026 NFL draft begins, and teams have been preparing for this moment for months at this point.
The three-day event takes place in Pittsburgh. It airs starting at 8 p.m. EDT live on ESPN, ABC and the ESPN App.
One of the best college prospects in this class is UCF edge Malachi Lawrence. This class is rich with edge possibilities, but Lawrence’s maturity and physique sets him apart.
Ahead of the draft, Jordan Reid of ESPN has published a comprehensive seven-round mock draft with all 32 teams’ picks in the draft.
“I’ve compiled these projections based on my latest intel from conversations with sources throughout the league, months of scouting the entire class and examining each team’s biggest positional needs,” he says. “I didn’t project any trades, but that doesn’t mean there won’t be surprises and intrigue.”
For Lawrence, he has the player going to the San Francisco 49ers, who obviously went all the way to the Super Bowl last season.
My only hesitation with this prediction is that Lawrence will likely be called before that No. 27 pick, and Reid addresses that in his comments.
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“Don’t be surprised if Lawrence gets his name called much earlier than expected (yes, even higher than this),” he notes in the piece. “He’s a bendy rusher who has a quick acceleration out of the starting blocks, and that speed carries through his rush plans.”
He adds, “The 49ers were last in the NFL with 20 sacks last season and need impactful rushers off the edge, even with Nick Bosa and Mykel Williams returning from torn ACLs. Lawrence would give the 49ers a high-quality rusher who has the closing speed to generate constant pressure.”
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The 49ers were so close to victory last season. Having another reliable edge is absolutely the right move for this team, especially since we don’t know how Bosa and Williams will be, at least early on, when they return from their torn ACL injuries.
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This story was originally published April 23, 2026 at 12:35 PM.