49ers Mock Draft 2022 1.0
The NFL Draft is eight days away, and the 49ers have nine draft picks to work with to improve their roster. While I don't foresee the 49ers using all nine of those selections, for my first mock draft, I'm imposing a "no trade clause." Last year, the narrative was that the 49ers had no "glaring holes" on the roster, but yet they made eight selections and all eight players made the team. It's doubtful that will happen this year
61. Greg Dulcich, TE, UCLA
While I believe Dulcich ultimately goes higher than this, if he falls here, I think the 49ers should pounce. While not refined as a blocker at UCLA, I believe the concerns about his inability to be an in-line blocker are blown out of proportion. George Kittle wasn't a finished product as a blocker coming out of Iowa, and Dulcich enters the NFL as a much more refined offensively as a "move tight end" than Kittle was.
Kyle Shanahan loves two tight end sets, and even if he doesn't trust Dulcich right away as a blocker, Dulcich can immediately contribute as a quintessential Shanahan "offensive weapon." Although Jauan Jennings's improvement late last season is very encouraging, Dulcich would be a mismatch as a "big slot." Dulcich lined up in the slot a lot, but had most of his snaps as an in-line tight end. Dulcich has great measurables with 34 inch arms, nearly 10 inch hands and being a full 6'4", but he matches those measurables with production down the field. With an average depth of target of 12 yards and an insane 17.3 yards per reception, he's a favorite among "box score scouts" but his ability to create separation in tight quarters is very impressive. Already an advanced route runner, he puts himself in great position to gain yards after the catch, which will have Shanahan salivating.
While his ability to be an in-line blocker might cause him to fall, the 49ers have shown that they are willing to draft with the future in mind. George Kittle isn't going anywhere, but he will be 29 at the beginning of the coming season, and it's never to early to add a weapon like Dulcich, grooming him to be Kittle's heir apparent.
93. Myjai Sanders, Edge, Cincinnati
Myjai Sanders has been on the 49ers radar for a while, but he took a hit in the world of draft punditry after he showed up to the Combine 25 pounds lighter than he was at the Senior Bowl. Turns out he had been incredibly sick and wasn't able to keep any food or water down for days before the Combine. Despite that, Sanders competed in most of the drills at the Combine while still being under the weather. He easily could've opted out, but he gutted it out, showing his character and willingness to let his tape do the talking.
Sanders is a perfect fit for a "wide 9" alignment pass-rush specialist and, with Kris Kocurek as his coach, I believe he will prove to be one of the steals of the draft. While he's lean at 6'5, 250, he has more room to put weight on his frame, and you can't teach his length, bend and athleticism. He's also no slouch in the run game, so will not have to exclusively be a rotational pass rusher.
He was almost unblockable in Senior Bowl practices, and finished the season strong with a ridiculous 37% pass-rush win rate against Alabama in the Cotton Bowl. While not a perfect prospect, what he does well, he does extremely well. While he may be dinged for his size, his combination of hand usage, technique, bend and explosiveness is not common, and will prove to be a huge boon for the 49ers if they select him. They've already had a meeting with him; three of the 49ers' eight selections last year had pre-draft meetings with the 49ers.
105. Matt Waletzko, OT, North Dakota
It's been very popular to target a center in the third ground for the 49ers, with Cam Jurgens being a hot name, but I believe Jurgens goes higher than this on draft day. While I would've loved to have the opportunity to draft Jurgens, I'm higher on Matt Waletzko as an offensive tackle prospect. Checking in at 6'8" and 312 pounds, Waletzko is an imposing and athletic tackle with insane length (36+ inch arms!!). In the Senior Bowl, first round prospects such as Boye Mafe and Arnold Ebiketie had some serious duels with him, with Waletzko confounding them in one-on-one situations with his length.
Waletzko, like Trey Lance, hails from rural Minnesota, and like Lance, was not a highly heralded prospect at the position he played in college. Waletzko raised his profile when he reached the North Dakota campus, starting almost immediately. While there are concerns with his weight, Waletzko played much of his career at 320 and has plenty of room on his frame to add mass with NFL strength and conditioning coaches.
Like Jurgens, while Waletzko may seem raw, rolling the dice with a compensatory third round pick on a prospect with all the tools Waletzko has is something I'm willing to do, especially with Mike McGlinchey entering the final year of his contract. Although pad level tends to be a concern with players the stature of Waletzko, he's athletic enough to minimize that with great hand usage and knee bend. Players like Waletzko don't grow on trees, and the growth he's shown in the past two years shows an ideal trajectory that the 49ers should take advantage of. Per Kent Lee Platte, his Relative Athletic Score places him 7th out of 1,216 OT prospects since 1987. Shanahan wants athletes at tackle, and Waletzko has time to grow into a special player.
134. Markquese Bell, S, Florida A&M
I started looking at safeties in January, and started honing in on Nick Cross, an uber-athletic track star who lays the boom for Maryland. Then I looked at the guy that left Maryland for Florida A&M, Markquese Bell. I still really believe in Cross, but the more I've strategized my mocks, the more I believe that Bell might actually be the better player and serve as better value in the fourth round rather than targeting Cross on Day 2 of the draft.
With prototypical size and length, Bell shows off his track background as a high jumper in testing and on the field. His closing speed is phenomenal, and he does a great job of playing the ball in coverage. I actually believe he's better in change of direction than Cross, and he is also an absolute enforcer in the run game. A sure tackler, his best role with the 49ers would be playing in the box as a "swiss army knife/positionless" weapon as a hybrid linebacker/safety who can stop the run, drop into coverage or be a heat-seeking missile in blitz packages. Bell would pair incredibly well with Jimmie Ward, and give the 49ers a guy who I believe can step in as a rookie into a starting role. Getting a starter in the fourth round isn't easy, but I believe Bell can defy the odds.
172. Danny Gray, WR, SMU
Another guy who has met twice with the 49ers in the pre-draft process, Danny Gray is a player who stole the thunder from his higher-touted teammate, Reggie Roberson, last season. It's easy to pigeonhole Gray as purely a speedster, but there is so much more to his game than straight-line quicks. Gray is an apt route runner whose speed overshadows his ability to gain yards after the catch, averaging almost 9 yards after the catch per reception. Gray's quarterback play limited his ability to catch deep passes, but he routinely made his own offense by having a knack to gain separation quickly.
Gray does lack a strong build, and can struggle with physicality off the line of scrimmage, but he thrives going against man coverage with silky releases and impressive acceleration. Shanahan prioritizes YAC, and has been looking to pair that ability with game-breaking speed; Gray has that in spades, and would be a phenomenal WR3 to complement Deebo and Brandon Aiyuk.
187. Eyioma Uwazurike, DL, Iowa State
The 49ers love adding depth to the defensive line, and Eyioma Uwazurike is a perfect chess piece with excellent athleticism, versatility and value in the sixth round. At 6'6" and 316 with 35+ inch arms, Uwazurike is a handful for interior lineman as a guy who will thrive as "big end" in the 49ers scheme with the ability to swing inside, as well. While he's known for his ability to move down the line in his prowess as a run defender, Uwazurike has all the tools to improve as a pocket disruptor under the tutelage of Kocurek, and he already comes in with a pretty good toolbelt.
Uwazurike had a nearly 17% pass rush win rate operating as an end in Iowa State's 3-4 alignment, far surpassing the pass rush production of more highly touted prospects, helping him earn First Team All Big 12 from Big 12 coaches. While I think he should go higher than this, I would be sprinting to the podium to make this selection if he falls this far.
220. Dawson Deaton, C, Texas Tech
Okay, here's my dark-horse "sleeper" of the draft that I wouldn't wait to sign as an undrafted free agent: Dawson Deaton. While I really like Cam Jurgens, I'm baffled as to why Deaton hasn't received similar love for his very comparable athletic traits. A three-year starter at Texas Tech, Deaton displays phenomenal anchor ability, and really succeeds at moving to the next level picking up multiple defenders.
Despite his height that seems abnormal for a center, Deaton moves incredibly well in tight spaces and, like Matt Waletzko, utilizes knee bend effectively to compensate. With Alex Mack entering what may be the last year of his career, Deaton would be a phenomenal addition to the 49ers who can also play guard, giving the 49ers versatility if/when players go down in-season. I would have no problem drafting Deaton a little bit higher, but if plans fall through to address center early in the draft, Deaton is a more than satisfactory consolation prize.
221. Ty Chandler, RB, North Carolina
I was the hype man for the Elijah Mitchell Fan Club while covering the first week of training camp for Niner Noise last summer, so why draft another running back? Is it a "need?" Running back is always a need for Kyle Shanahan, and Ty Chandler would give Shanahan another explosive, one-cut back for his heavily zone-based scheme that will keep Mitchell's legs fresh next season.
With ridiculously hard acts to follow from the likes of current NFL standouts Javonte Williams and Michael Carter, Chandler transferred from Tennessee last season and broke out in his senior year, averaging 6 yards per carry while averaging an excellent 3.86 yards after contact per attempt. He also has great pass catching chops; while catching only 14 balls last year, he averaged 15 yards per catch. Even with taking a long touchdown out of the equation, he still averaged 11 yards per catch. I fully expect him to be a more prolific pass catcher at the next level. Couple that with decisiveness and true game speed that matches his testing numbers (4.38 forty with 1.52 10-yard split), Chandler could prove to be another sixth round running back steal for the 49ers.
262. Jack Jones, CB, Arizona State
I've been a draft junkie since I was in middle school, so yes, I watch almost every minute of the NFL Scouting Combine. Although I don't base my opinions purely on the "eye test," for the 49ers' 4th "Mr. Irrelevant" selection in the history of the franchise (Tim Washington, Donald Chumley and Sam Manuel), I'm going with my gut from a guy I hadn't watched during his career, but really popped off the screen to me in drills and workouts. And that's Jack Jones.
Jones has had a circuitous route in his draft process, to say the least. A five star recruit from Long Beach, Jones announced his commitment to USC with Snoop Dogg and had allegedly run a 4.28 forty in high school. He was ranked as high as the 22nd best player (not just cornerback) in the country, and was looked at as a can't-miss prospect.
Two years later, however, he was charged with a felony for burglary, which was reduced to a misdemeanor. After taking a year away at the JUCO level, Jones transferred to Arizona State and tried to refurbish his image and his game. Despite taking efforts to improve as a person off the field, there are understandably still doubts about taking risks on a player who potentially has "character red flags."
On top of that, Jones is 5'11" and 171, so while not short, he's not big, either. He didn't run a blazing forty at the Combine that matched his high school recruiting hype, but he stood out in drills to me. Great concentration, change of direction and looked fluid in everything he did. There are a lot of scouts who view him as a legit outside cover corner, and that's what he did at Arizona State and USC. I think he has the ability to add muscle and also slide inside and have success in the slot. All things considered, I think Jones would buck the trend of previous 49ers' Mr. Irrelevant draftees, and finagle a slot on the 53 man roster. If he did, he'd have to play just two games to surpass the combined number of games played by the previous three...one game!
