Five Players the 49ers Could Consider With Pick No. 13
On day one of the free agency tampering period, the San Francisco 49ers sent former first-round pick DeForest Buckner to the Indianapolis Colts in exchange for the No. 13 overall pick in the 2020 draft.
Adding draft capital such as an additional first-rounder is huge for San Francisco since they don't have any selections from pick No. 31 to No. 157. Now after acquiring a lucrative draft selection in the middle of round one, their approach can lead to several different avenues.
So which prospects could be on the radar of Kyle Shanahan and John Lynch with the 13th overall pick?
CeeDee Lamb
There’s no denying Lamb's ability as he'll likely be one of the top two wide receivers taken come draft day. With the Raiders drafting ahead at pick No. 12 they’re expected to get the pick of the litter at wide receiver. The 49ers would then follow and have the opportunity of snagging a pass-catcher such as Lamb depending on the Raiders' draft choice.
Lamb has been one of the most highly touted pass catchers in the college ranks dating back to the start of his sophomore campaign when he put the scouting community on notice. He plays with a tremendous amount of physicality and elite ball skills for a college pass catcher, including his superior knack to high point the football.
Lamb isn't considered a burner as someone who can run right by defenders but he displays enough burst to work with while having other quality traits to complement his first-round potential.
Jerry Jeudy
Jeudy falls into a similar situation as Lamb where he's expected to hear his name called among the top two wide receivers. However, Jeudy is much more of a finesse route runner in comparison to what Lamb does, but regardless of how you slice it, both project as tremendous draft options.
Jeudy provides a skill set that checks off multiple boxes. His ball tracking, ability to separate, joystick jukes and breakaway speed are what make Jeudy one of the better receiving prospects to come out of college football over the last handful of seasons. For Jeudy's sake, a landing spot that includes a heavy dose of motions and emphasis to stretch the field would allow him to put his best foot forward.
Kristian Fulton
Fulton was the No. 1 overall recruit in the state of Louisiana and after high school he took his talents to "DBU". The start of his career at Louisiana State didn't go quite as planned, resulting in substantial injuries and off-field issues during his time as an underclassman.
Eventually, getting his shot as the full-time starter during the 2018 season helped ease the enormous expectations that come with being a top recruit. Fulton returned for his senior year, recording 38 tackles, a team-high 14 pass breakups, and one interception.
Fulton plays with solid instincts, allowing him to remain patient at the line of scrimmage. Fulton's biggest asset is how well he can handle receivers in man coverage, solidifying him as one of the better cover corners in the draft class. If paired with another solid cornerback opposite of Fulton, he'll allow his defensive coordinator to run numerous looks of man coverage on the outside.
CJ Henderson
Henderson has elevated his draft stock significantly throughout his junior year. In addition to his 2019 season, Henderson doubled down with a stellar combine performance as he posted a 4.39 40-yard dash (tied for third-fastest among DBs).
His production this past season included sufficient play in coverage despite not hauling in any interceptions. Henderson isn’t much of a tackler but NFL teams have shown in recent years that the emphasis on cornerbacks is appointed to how well they can cover.
Henderson is likely to hear his name called around the middle of round one and could be the second cornerback taken after Ohio State's Jeff Okudah.
Javon Kinlaw
Kinlaw has been one of the bigger risers over the last full season, partly due to his burst off the line and ability to push the pocket from the interior. During his time at the Senior Bowl, Kinlaw was a hot commodity among scouts and media members as he was one of the more impressive players during the week of practice.
In terms of his 2019 season, Kinlaw recorded 35 tackles and six sacks. Listed at 6'5", 324 pounds, he has plenty in the tank to stone wall offensive lineman with his gigantic size and strength. For a player of 300-plus pounds, Kinalw moves incredibly well, causing disruption when playing against the run or the pass.
