The San Francisco 49ers  selected former Oregon defensive lineman DeForest Buckner with the seventh overall pick Thursday in the 2016 NFL Draft.
Buckner will reunite with newly hired 49ers head coach Chip Kelly, who coached Buckner in 2012 — Kelly’s last season at Oregon. Arik Armstead, who played on Oregon’s defensive line with Buckner from 2012-2014, was San Francisco’s first round pick in 2015.

Welcome to the family, @DeForestBuckner! #49ersDraft pic.twitter.com/CrstGQ6haH
— San Francisco 49ers (@49ers) April 29, 2016

In addition to his 6-foot-7, 293-pound frame, Buckner’s athleticism was highly coveted going into the draft. John Kosko of Pro Football Focus listed Buckner as the most athletic interior lineman, and said “[Buckner] was by far the top-graded interior defensive lineman in the nation last season.”
Although many analysts project him as an interior lineman in the NFL, Buckner has the versatility to play more than one position. Buckner played every position on Oregon’s 3-4 defensive line, and believes he could fill in several roles at the next level.
“I’ve got film to back it up,” Buckner said March 10 at Oregon’s pro day. “Wherever the coaches need — outside, inside — I can fit.”
Buckner is the highest-picked Oregon defensive lineman since 2013, when Dion Jordan went third overall to the Miami Dolphins. Buckner’s selection was also the second consecutive year an Oregon player was picked in the first round, following Marcus Mariota and Armstead in 2015.
From 2012-2015, Buckner appeared in 43 games for the Ducks, recording 232 total tackles and 18 sacks. As a senior in 2015, Buckner was named Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year.
Follow Will Denner on Twitter @Will_Denner