2011 NFL Draft Results: Aldon Smith Picked By San Francisco 49ers

Aldon Smith is one of a crop of many very good defensive linemen in the 2011 NFL Draft. He may not have the biggest name of this year’s draft class, but his game might make up for that in coming years.

Smith collected 17 sacks in 2009 and 2010 — 11 in his great 2009 campaign — despite playing for a Missouri team that had a lot more offensive talent than defensive depth and the Big 12, a conference devoted to spread passing and keeping those quarterbacks upright. Smith was disruptive whether coming around end or being stunted into the middle, and though he faced more substantial blocking after dominating in Missouri’s 2010 opener against Illinois (10 tackles, two sacks), he anchored the Tigers’ defensive line.

Smith is in that Jason Pierre-Paul mold that the New York Giants have turned into an archetype in recent years. And that combination of size and quickness makes for a really nice highlight reel.

For more on Smith’s new home, head over to Niners Nation.
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