The 49ers Draft and the Road Not Taken
Since 2017 when Kyle Shanahan and John Lynch took control of the San Francisco 49ers, they have picked one offensive lineman in the first round of the draft and no defensive back or safety earlier than the third. The road not taken has proved to be costly with those positions at the center of big game defeats.
This draft overview will focus on the offensive line. I think the Niners should look at defensive back, right guard, right tackle, and linebacker early. Being the Niners, they will also look at edge.
Shanahan was asked in the season-ending press conference if he would invest in pass protection and offensive line in the draft given how the Super Bowl played out.
“You want to invest in whatever makes you the best team. You can sit there and load up on O linemen and draft ‘em three years in a row and go spend on free agents and then not have any people score on touchdowns and things like that or rush the quarterback.”
Shanahan and Lynch have never sat there and loaded up on offensive linemen in the draft. One first-rounder in seven years, one 2nd round pick in five, plus five picks in the 4th round or later.
“But in that game, I didn’t feel like we were struggling just blocking’ em.”
15 carries for 70 yards running left, 11 carries for 21 yards right.
“I think we missed a few blitz pickups, that’s what they do.”
Kansas City had nine unblocked pass rushers, all blitzes, on the game’s biggest plays.
As the media and fans make their annual plea for a draft investment at right tackle, Shanahan may go with a head fake and take an interior offensive lineman instead.
The number range below is from the mock drafts of a group of draft evaluators that I trust and are proven over time. The Niners have the 31st pick in the first round.
CENTER/GUARD
20-35: Jackson Powers-Johnson (Oregon) 6-3/334 the top-ranked center impressed at the Senior Bowl.
16-35: Troy Fautanu (Washington) 6-4/317 is expected to move inside but can also play tackle in the NFL. He has a violent game.
20-40: Graham Barton (Duke) 6-5/314 a tackle, but the consensus is he'll move inside in the pros. Center may be his best position long-term but he can also excel at guard.
If Fautanu or Barton fall to 31 the Niners should be interested.
40-55: Christian Haynes (U Conn) 6-2/318 shined in Mobile. Outside zone experience.
Late 3rd: Christian Mahogany (BC) 6-2/318 played well in the Shrine Bowl.
4th: Dominick Puni (Kansas) 6-4/323 center, solid in Mobile, outside zone experience.
I left out a few players ranked in the 4th or higher. Cooper Beebe of Kansas State is a power/gap player and not a system fit. Center Zach Frazier of West Virginia is in a similar mold but may get a look.
It’s always key to see who the Niners bring in for workouts. Steph Sanchez is a must-follow for tracking the visits.
OFFENSIVE TACKLE
6-10: Joe Alt (Notre Dame) 6-8/322 is the consensus top tackle in the draft.
9-12: Olu Fashanu (Penn State) 6-6/319 prototypical size with great feet and balance.
10-17: Taliese Fuaga (Oregon State) 6-6/332 has NFL power, he was a beast at the Senior Bowl.
13-20: J.C. Latham (Alabama) 6-6/335 is violent, big, and fast for his size.
20-28: Tyler Guyton (Oklahoma) 6-7/328 is explosive and moves well, but he has limited game experience.
20-28: Amarius Mims (Georgia) 6-7/340 high upside, but injuries have limited his game experience as well.
If the Niners want one of the top six tackles they will likely need to trade up. The next two tackles should be on the board at 31, but both are considered 2nd round talents as of now.
28-40: Jordan Morgan (Arizona) 6-5/312 versatile, smart, peaked early in the year, outside zone player.
31-45: Kingsley Suamataia (BYU) 6-4/329 fast, may run in the 4.8s. Needs technique work and more power.
For later picks, I would steer clear of Patrick Paul. Ideal size at 6-7/333 but he went to the OL Masterminds camp and they worked on his stance and hands, square one, he’s raw. Kiran Amegadjie of Yale 6-5/318 has a lot of buzz (mid-3rd). Blake Fisher of Notre Dame 6-6/312 has the feet and smarts the Niners like (4th).
Matt Goncalvez of Pitt 6-6/332 is one of my sleepers. He needs to settle on his weight, bulked up from 310, he has outside zone experience (4th). Roger Rosengarten of Washington 6-5/311 had an excellent Senior Bowl and is rising into the 4th round.
For those who want a right tackle, Fautanu and Morgan are your best bets, though both could move inside. Barton is a great system fit. If the Niners don’t trade out, one of those three would be my current guess if they draft an offensive lineman in the first round.
