DeForest Buckner is reunited, and it feels so good.
San Francisco selected the former Punahou and Oregon defensive end with the No. 7 pick in the NFL draft Thursday night.
“It was nerve-wracking,” Buckner said in a press conference on Oahu after being selected. “When I finally got that phone call, I almost busted out in tears.”
His former head coach at Oregon and current 49ers skipper Chip Kelly made the call to welcome Buckner to the NFL.
“Coach Kelly was on the phone and he said, ‘What’s up De-Fo. You ready to be reunited,’” Buckner said, who started for Kelly as a true freshman in 2012.
Kelly is in his first year at the helm for the 49ers, after a tumultuous three season stint with the Philadelphia Eagles.
“Being the first pick for Chip as the head coach of the 49ers means a lot to me,” Buckner said. “It means he trusts me as a player off and on the field.”
Buckner also reunites with former Oregon teammate and close friend Arik Armstead. The 49ers took Armstead with the 17th overall pick in 2015 draft, and the defensive end duo have remained close, talking through the draft process.
“Before the draft, we talked about being reunited,” Buckner said. “Being able to work with a guy who already knows how I play and I know how he plays — it’s going to be something else.”
Armstead — who had two sacks and 19 combined tackles last season during his rookie campaign — is excited as well.
“Uh oh, they messed up and let me and DeForest Buckner back together again,” Armstead said on Twitter — followed by a series of ecstatic smiley face emoticons — after the pick.
Buckner was projected by many to go to San Diego with the No. 3 pick. When they passed and went with Ohio State defensive end Joey Bosa instead, Buckner’s reunion became closer to a reality.
“When San Diego picked Joey Bosa, in my head I was just like ‘San Francisco, San Francisco,’” he said with a laugh. “My wish came true.”
It’s the second year in a row a former Hawaii high school player has been taken in the top ten of the NFL draft. Buckner’s selection comes just a year after Marcus Mariota — a fellow ILH player and Saint Louis grad — was taken with the second overall pick by the Titans.
According to the Honolulu Star-Advertiser, Buckner is the second-highest NFL Draft selection of a player from a Hawaii high school, behind Mariota.
The Waianae native also becomes the third Oregon player Kelly has drafted as head coach (Josh Huff in 2014, Taylor Hart in 2014).
“Having people I know around me will help the transition,” Buckner said.
Bucker had an opportunity to attend the draft in Chicago, but opted instead to stay in Hawaii with nearly 250 friends and family members to celebrate the occasion in Kapolei.
“Growing up in Hawaii, family is everything,” Buckner said. “Being able to cherish this moment with my family was important.”
San Francisco, which missed the playoffs for a second straight year, needed help in the pass rush after ranking 29th in the league with just 28 sacks after the retirement of defensive end Justin Smith last year and the release of troubled edge rusher Aldon Smith.
Buckner is a behemoth 6-foot-7, five-technique, who can stop the run and clog up passing lanes with his length. His pro comparison is Arizona Cardinals defensive lineman Calais Campbell.
As a projected top 10 pick, the Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year obviously drew high marks from draft analyst and scouts around the nation.
This is what NFL.com had on Buckner before the draft:
“Impressive NFL-ready physique. Has natural strength and power in his hands and improved their effectiveness this year. Not a content player, Buckner plays with effort and will continue working hands and feet to improve his positioning. Light went on as pass rusher in 2015. Generated top-end production by combining his power and dynamic athletic traits. Quick off the snap and difficult to cut off in run game.”
Being the No. 7 selection carries a heavy burden of expectations and Buckner’s career will get underway in a hurry. He will report to the 49ers’ rookie and free agent minicamp next week, followed by lots of other activities. The 49ers open their season on Monday Night Football against No. 1 overall pick Jared Goff and The LA Rams on Sept. 12.
San Francisco Pro Bowl linebacker Navorro Bowman kept it simple in bringing Buckner aboard.
“Welcome to the squad DeForest Buckner,” Bowman said on Twitter. “Time to get to work.”
