Get Your Draft Day Started with a Full 7-Round 49ers Mock Draft
Since Lynch and Shanahan took over in 2017, they met pre-draft with seven of the eleven players they selected between the 1st and 3rd rounds. Last year, the 49ers had pre-draft visits with five of their eight selections.
(Read: 49ers Draft Preview: How the Past Might Predict the Future)
The 49ers like drafting players they have met with already. The best picks Lynch and Shanahan have made over the last three years were all met with pre-draft. Expect that trend to continue this year, and for the 49ers to take players they have physically or virtually met with.
In this seven-round mock draft, the 49ers met with seven of their eight selections pre-draft.
Pick Breakdown:
- 1st Round, 13th Overall
- 1st Round, 31st Overall (Traded to NYJ with pick No. 176)
- 2nd Round, 48th Overall (From NYJ)
- 3rd Round, 79th Overall (From NYJ)
- 5th Round, 156 Overall
- 5th Round, 158 (From NYJ)
- 5th Round, 176 (Traded to NYJ with pick No. 31)
- 6th Round, 210 Overall
- 7th Round, 217 Overall
- 7th Round, 245 Overall
1st Round, Pick 13: CeeDee Lamb- WR, Oklahoma (met with pre-draft)
The way I see it, this pick comes down to Andrew Thomas, CJ Henderson, or CeeDee Lamb. The 49ers met with all three of those prospects, and each of them make sense to be the 13th overall pick.
I believe if this scenario unfolds, the 49ers will go with Lamb. Lamb is an explosive playmaker, whether it be making contested catches or picking up yards after the catch. Lamb is also extremely physical and a willing run blocker, making him a perfect fit for Shanahan’s offense.
2nd Round, Pick 48 (From NYJ): Ezra Cleveland- OT, Boise St. (met with pre-draft)
The 49ers package picks 31 and 176 to the Jets, and receive picks 48, 79, and 158.
In his press conference earlier this week, Lynch announced that the 49ers are expecting Joe Staley back this season. The 49ers are set at both tackle spots, and there is a good amount of depth behind Staley and McGlinchey.
Why make this pick? Well it is inevitable that Staley is eventually going to retire. When Staley does indeed retire, the 49ers will have an extremely athletic tackle waiting in the wings. Shanahan loves athletic offensive lineman, and this is exactly what Cleveland is.
Ezra measures in at 6’6”, 311 pounds at the combine. Ezra also tested extremely well.
- 40-Yard Dash: 4.93s (97th percentile)
- 20-Yard Shuttle: 4.46s (96th percentile)
- 10-Yard Split: 1.72s (93rd percentile)
- Broad Jump: 9 ft 3 in (88th percentile)
- Bench Press: 30 Reps (90th percentile)
3rd Round, Pick 79 (From NYJ): Raekwon Davis- DT, Alabama (met with pre-draft)
The 49ers are not as deep on the defensive line as they were last year, especially on the interior. DJ Jones has a small sample size, and Jullian Taylor and Kevin Givens have an even smaller sample size.
Drafting Davis, who stands 6’6”, helps fill the void that was left when the team traded away DeForest Buckner. Davis is a physical specimen who has the tools to dominate interior offensive lineman. The reason he is not going earlier in the draft is because he struggled to consistently put all of his tools together. Pairing Davis with d-line coach Kris Kocurek is a match made in heaven.
5th Round, Pick 156: Stanford Samuels- CB, Florida State (no pre-draft meeting)
Samuels is a long cornerback, standing 6’1” with 31 ¾” arms. Samuels ran in the bottom 20th percentile in the 40-yard dash, so his best position might be safety. Nonetheless, the 49ers need depth at both positions.
Samuels will join Ahkello Witherspoon, Tim Harris, Dontae Johnson, and Teez Tabor in the competition to back up the outside corner spots. If it doesn’t work out for Samuels at corner, he may have a future on the team at safety.
Richard Sherman, Emmanuel Mosley, K’Wuan Williams, Ahkello Witherspoon, and Jaquaski Tartt are all scheduled to be free agents come 2021. With that being said, drafting a player like Samuels who can potentially play both positions seems like a good choice on Day 3.
5th Round, Pick 158 (From NYJ): James Morgan- QB, Florida Int. (pre-draft meeting)
Morgan is a developmental quarterback. With a solid frame (6’4”, 230 pounds) and a strong arm, Morgan could be the 49ers' backup quarterback of the future.
Yes, the 49ers have Nick Mullens and Cj Beathard. However, both Mullens and Beathard are scheduled to be free agents at the end of the year. Additionally, the 49ers were receiving trade calls for Mullens. The team may be a lot more comfortable trading Mullens if they have a young quarterback like Morgan to develop.
6th Round, Pick 210: Kamren Curl- Safety, Arkansas (pre-draft meeting)
The 49ers hit big on Arkansas linebacker Dre Greenlaw in the 5th round last year, and I see them investing in another Arkansas prospect this year.
Curl, a San Diego native, has good size and speed (4.6s 40-yard dash). The 49ers have four solid safeties already on the roster, so Curl would really have to make an impression throughout the preseason to make the initial 53-man roster. Nonetheless, the 49ers benefit from adding another body to compete in the secondary, who can potentially earn more playing time in 2021.
7th Round, Pick 217: Easop Winston Jr. - WR, Washington St. (pre-draft meeting)
Winston Jr. is a local kid. As a freshman in high school he attended Jefferson (Daly City) High School, before transferring to Serra (San Mateo). Winston also attended City College of San Francisco before transferring to Washington State.
Winston was not invited to the NFL combine, but ran a 4.42 at his virtual pro day. Winston is an excellent value pick, very similar to when the 49ers drafted Richie James Jr. in the 7th round two years ago.
Winston is projected to be a slot receiver, which is exactly what the 49ers need. In 2017, Jimmy Garoppolo had a great rapport with slot receiver Trent Taylor. However, Taylor has not been able to stay healthy and is in the last year of his rookie contract. Drafting Winston Jr. may provide a security blanket for Garoppolo, just as Taylor was that security blanket in 2017.
7th Round, Pick 245: Cordel Iwuaguw- IOL, TCU (pre-draft meeting)
Iwuaguw caps off the 49ers draft. Iwuaguw would come in and have an uphill battle to make the team. But the 49ers need bodies on the interior of the offensive line. The more competition Lynch and Shanahan create at right guard, the better off the positional will be. The projected starter guard is Dan Brunskill, with Ben Garland backing him up. However, Iwuaguw would have a chance to beat out Compton for the final guard spot.
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