Grading the 49ers' first round picks in the 2020 NFL Draft
The first round of the NFL Draft is officially in the books, and the 49ers didn't make a selection in either draft slot they entered the day with. Instead, they moved back one spot from pick 12, added a fourth-round pick and drafted South Carolina defensive tackle Javon Kinlaw.
In addition to bolstering the defensive front with Kinlaw, they swapped the picks 31, 117 (from Tampa Bay), and 176 to the Minnesota Vikings in exchange for the 25th overall pick, which they use to draft Arizona State wide receiver Brandon Ayiuk.
DT Javon Kinlaw
With CeeDee Lamb and Jerry Jeudy still on the board, Kyle Shanahan and John Lynch didn't budge to go with one of the flashy wideouts. Selecting one of them is something you would expect from an offensive-minded head coach, but Shanahan and Lynch stuck to their guns and replenished the hole that DeForest Buckner left when they sent him to the Indianapolis Colts.
Last year's Super-Bowl run was led by the supporting cast of the defensive line, and the 49ers stuck with what they know best by adding to that group. What's a first-round without the 49ers drafting a defensive lineman? They've now taken a defensive lineman in the first round in five of the last six drafts.
The defensive line has no issues getting after the passer, as Nick Bosa, Arik Armstead and Dee Ford combined for 25.5 sacks last season. So cementing Kinlaw in the middle of this unit will provide them with a defender who can eat up blocks and wreck havoc in the run game.
Kinlaw has received the majority of his recognition for his raw strength and disruptive playing style in the interior, but he has shown signs of improvement when rushing the passer -- last season, he totaled six sacks.
Grade: B
Kinlaw allows the forceful defensive front to stay intact but they potentially could've traded back a few spots and still got him with the highly touted pass-catchers still available.
WR Brandon Ayiuk
Aiyuk is very comparable to Deebo Samuel — thick frame, physical and thrives after the catch. Shanahan said Aiyuk was his top wide receiver in this year's class. So Shanahan got his guy. The questionable part of the move was giving up the surplus of draft picks despite not having a whole lot of draft capital the rest of the way.
If you think a specific player is going to be a star in the making, then by all means — go get your guy. But since Ayiuk took three picks to acquire, the 49ers now have just three picks remaining (156, 210 and 217).
Aiyuk will pencil in underneath George Kittle and Samuel among pass catchers, giving Jimmy Garoppolo three bon-afide options to strike opposing defenses with through the air. He also brings a new dimension to the return game, as he's likely to take over that role from Richie James and Dante Pettis.
In Aiyuk's final season as a member of the Sun Devils, he recorded 65 catches for 1,192 yards and eight touchdowns. His 18.3 yards per reception ranked third in the PAC-12, showing his elusiveness in the open field.
Grade: B-
Aiyuk is one of the top pass-catchers in the draft, but the price to trade up and draft him didn't come cheap. Given that the 49ers already are limited with draft picks, they are putting a lot of eggs in one basket, banking on Ayiuk to hit big.
