The 49ers invested the 40th overall pick in the 2013 NFL Draft on a big, athletic pass rusher from Florida State, Tank Carradine.
Since making it onto the pro field following the rehab from an ACL injury, Carradine has struggled to settle into a role, switching positions and fluctuating his weight to meet the demands of the techniques he's playing.
But where does Tank feel he's most comfortable?
"Between 260 and 265 (pounds), that's the weight I'm comfortable at," Carradine told reporters on Friday. "No more than 270."
[RELATED: Patrick Willis’ message to Bowman during 49ers' rough season]
After confirming his comfort zone, Carradine acknowledged that's near the weight outside linebackers Ahmad Brooks and Aaron Lynch play at. He's focused primarily on the defensive line thus far in his pro career.
Is outside linebacker the position he desires in order to prove himself in the NFL?
"I wish that," Carradine said regarding playing on the edge. "That's something I'm comfortable with...That's what I'm hoping. I don't know about next year, what will happen, but that's what I'm hoping."
Carradine confirmed that during the draft process there was some anonymity as to which position he'd be playing in the NFL.
"Which is fine, I still think I can play three-technique defensive end," Carradine said. "It's just that I'm more comfortable playing outside, you know, smaller, OLB, or outside D-end. That's my body, that's my natural weight.
"I just wanted to do something I know I'd be comfortable doing. Losing weight, getting down, playing on the outside, setting the edge, rushing the passer. I feel more comfortable playing on the outside than the inside because—I have more success doing it on the outside, and being down on my weight. And with the weight thing, that was something real big. I feel like I didn't move the same. I wasn't comfortable. I just wasn't comfortable being that heavy."
Carradine, 26, will be entering his fourth season in 2016, and the final year of his rookie contract. And the former second-rounder doesn't know what the future holds:
"I'll be in the last year of my contract, so hopefully you know, I'll be able to play on the outside, be successful and help the team win. I really don't know what's going to happen after the season because of how the season went. All I can do is try to get down my weight, and get comfortable and get back to doing something I love to do, playing on the outside."
Carradine has accumulated 29 tackles and four sacks in 20 games played for the 49ers. During his time at FSU, playing as a down defensive end, he racked up 21.0 sacks over two seasons.
