Why 49ers' Kyle Shanahan favors drafting defensive line in first round

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Some of 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan’s first experiences with being a decision-maker for the NFL draft came the same way it does for many young football fans around the country -- through the popular Madden video game series.

"I can promise you, ask my high school friends when we did Madden,” Shanahan told ESPN. “And we drafted our own guys, my first pick was always [Hall of Fame defensive end Michael] Strahan. ... I always wanted to do D-line."

Shanahan’s propensity for prioritizing defensive linemen seems to have carried over to his adult profession, as the 49ers have drafted a D-lineman in the first round in five of the past six NFL drafts, including April’s selection of Javon Kinlaw.

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Outside of Solomon Thomas in 2017, the draftees have helped turn San Francisco’s D-line into the NFL’s best unit. DeForest Buckner was an All-Pro and an integral part of the defense’s success, but general manager John Lynch and the front office will save almost $20 million by replacing him with Kinlaw.

Despite his background as a collegiate wide receiver, Shanahan nonetheless understands the value of dominating the other side of the ball.

[RELATED: Nick Bosa knows DeForest Buckner can't be replaced by one guy]

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"I am an offensive coach, and it's more fun for me in an offense with offensive playmakers, but nothing's more fun than having a defense like we had last year," he said.

It likely has been very tempting for Lynch and Shanahan to pull the trigger on some of the elite skill players that have been available early in the first round, but both recognize the importance of the battle in the trenches. The one year the duo didn’t draft a defensive lineman in the first, they took offensive tackle Mike McGlinchey.

Expect the defensive line once again to be the catalyst for San Francisco to win a lot of games in 2020 and push for a return to the Super Bowl.

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