Much has been made about the 49ers’ weak linebacker group heading into the NFL draft later this month. The signing of Malcolm Smith fills one starting position but the 49ers will need to find another between now and the beginning of the 2017 regular season. The expectation is that San Francisco will draft at least one linebacker, and maybe more, to bolster a unit that was exposed against the running game last season.

The positional fits of both Malcolm Smith and NaVorro Bowman can be debated. We’ve suggested moving Bowman to SAM, on the strong side, although he could realistically play any of the three spots and excel in the new 4-3. Smith’s fit will largely be based on whether or not defensive coordinator Robert Saleh believes Smith’s time in Oakland represents who he is as a player now or whether it was just a bad stretch from a player being misused.

The body type and playing style of whichever linebacker the 49ers draft will answer many of the questions that come when projecting where exactly players will align in the new 4-3 defense. If the 49ers take a player like Vanderbilt’s Zach Cunningham – an ideal WILL (weak side) in both frame and style – then we can assume Smith will be starting at SAM, at least in 2017.

However, John Lynch and his team could elect to wait until later and select a thick-bodied SAM backer to set the edge in run defense. They could pass on a linebacker early and wait until late to grab a developmental prospect. The team may already have the pieces on defense for next season.

The NFL has been transitioning to an up-tempo passing league for years now and linebackers are asked to do more with each season. Tight ends are faster and make matching a linebacker up in space almost impossible. Asking Smith to cover Jimmy Graham would be begging to be exploited. As a result, defenses have countered by signing smaller linebackers, often converted safeties, that have the range and physicality to compete in the box with the coverage skills to hold up down the field.

The Arizona Cardinals made the first hybrid-esque move by asking Deone Bucannon to play inside linebacker in their 3-4 defense. Bucannon’s a solid player, but he’s far from the stud that many assume. No, for an example of what defenses can do to regain an edge look at Washington’s Su’a Cravens or Atlanta’s Deion Jones.

Jones was the Falcons’ middle linebacker last year and made a case for defensive rookie of the year. He tallied over 100 tackles with three interceptions, two of which he returned for touchdowns. He played with speed and aggression that made his lack of size (6-foot-1, 222 pounds) almost irrelevant. Against the Cardinals, Jones knifed through a gap and stopped stud running back David Johnson clean at the line of scrimmage on the goal line. He plays with power into contact that minimizes the size disadvantage. And the 49ers have a player built in nearly the exact same mold.

Jaquiski Tartt has struggled in his first two seasons to find significant playing time unless he was replacing an injured player. But he’s ideal as a WILL in the new 4-3 defense the 49ers are implementing. At 6-foot-1 and 221 pounds, Tartt has the requisite size and athleticism to be a backside run defender that can shoot gaps and fly to the ball. He doesn’t have the frame nor technique to be an elite run defender when asked to stack and shed, but the team can protect him by asking him to play WILL and using his recklessness to their benefit.

The primary responsibilities of the WILL are to flow over plays when his gap isn’t being threatened. His run fit is typically the backside A-gap and he has the flexibility in duties to use athleticism to freelance post-snap as a backside defender. The WILL has to be solid in zone coverage with the change-of-direction ability to handle running backs in coverage. Tartt, a defensive back, comes with the necessary skills to match athletes at nearly any skill position on the field.

Tartt hasn’t played much, but he’s made his mark when given the opportunity. He’ll likely never be a traditional safety, with a lack of downfield range that can be stressed with multiple concepts at the intermediate-to-deep levels of the field. He has, however, shown explosiveness, a desire to hit and an intensity that will be coveted as an outside linebacker.

The precedents for a player of Tartt’s size are all throughout the NFL. Atlanta’s Jones, De’Vondre Campbell and Jacksonville’s Telvin Smith are examples of the types of linebackers the defense can employ. None are particularly large players, but they’re lean athletes with the physicality to transition speed into power against the interior run and the range to excel in space. Tartt’s frame is similar to all three, with the willingness to come downhill in run support.

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The 49ers need to find a trio of linebackers that can be successful in 2017 and beyond. Tartt is still on his rookie contract and hasn’t seen a legitimate shot to prove he can play in the NFL with any long-term expectations. The 49ers could utilize the talent already on the roster by moving Tartt to WILL and letting his athleticism become a focal point of their defense next season. He could stay on the field even if San Francisco finds a safety early in the draft, like LSU’s Jamal Adams or Ohio State’s Malik Hooker.

Selecting a linebacker won’t be out of the question, but the 49ers could wait and allocate early picks to needs such as an edge defender or an offensive playmaker.

Lynch’s success as GM will depend as much or more on how he evaluates current players on the roster in conjunction with incoming prospects. Identifying the needs and holes on the team are as important as finding the players to fill them. Simultaneously, finding success for the players being paid will determine whether Saleh is a successful coordinator or merely someone mimicking other great ones.

Tartt deserves an opportunity to earn a role on the defense moving forward and his best chance may be to come into the box to play WILL in 2017.