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Former Virginia Cavaliers' DE/OLB Eli Harold achieved his dreams tonight, as he was drafted in the third round of the 2015 NFL Draft by the San Francisco 49ers with the 79th overall selection.
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Harold, a junior, decided to forego his senior season at Virginia to enter the NFL Draft a year early. The 6'3", 247 lbs. defensive lineman may be undersized for his position, but he displayed some strength and speed at the NFL Combine / UVA Pro Day, with a 4.6-second 40-yard dash and 35-inch vertical jump.
In his 2014 campaign, Harold put up 54 tackles (24 solo) and 7 sacks for 42 yards. He had 14.5 tackles for a loss of 65 yards, forced one fumble and recovered two.
A second-team All-ACC defender, Harold could play as either an outside linebacker or a defensive end, and could excel in either position. Question marks for Harold include his inconsistency and seeming reluctance to get his arms involved in the tackle.
Virginia has not had a first round pick since Eugene Monroe was selected No. 8 overall in 2009. Since then, the Hoos have had three second-round selections in Clint Sintim that same year (No. 45 overall to the New York Giants), Chris Cook in 2010 (No. 34 overall to the Minnesota Vikings) and Ras-I Dowling in 2011 (No. 33 overall to the New England Patriots).