49ers 7-Round NFL Mock Draft 4.0: Trenches, Finally

The 49ers’ 30 visits are complete and provide breadcrumbs to follow on how they may approach the NFL Draft. This is mock four of five on what I think they’ll do, the final version will go up before the draft begins in Green Bay Thursday night.

THE TOP TEN

The top three appear to be set, Miami QB Cam Ward, Colorado DB/WR Travis Hunter, and Penn State Edge Abdul Carter in that order. New England takes a tackle and reportedly prefers LSU’s Will Campbell. Jacksonville has been mocked for months to pick Michigan DT Mason Graham.

Boise State back Ashton Jeanty fits Chip Kelly’s offense in Las Vegas. The Jets take Missouri tackle Armand Membou over Penn State tight end Tyler Warren. Carolina needs a defensive playmaker and picks Georgia LB/Edge Jalon Walker. New Orleans is the wild card, I think the Saints wait until next year for their QB, hoping to land Arch Manning for a father-son legacy. They take Warren at 9.

For Chicago, new defensive coordinator Dennis Allen covets speed at edge and they had a 30 visit with Texas A&M’s Shemar Stewart. He’s the pick as the Bears take a Niners target right ahead of San Francisco. I think this will be a recurring theme throughout the draft.

49ERS

11. Walter Nolen (Ole Miss) DT 6-3/300

The Niners are rumored to be looking at three defensive linemen: Stewart, Georgia edge Mykel Williams, and Nolen. The bookend with Nick Bosa needs to bring speed, which removes Williams. The Wide 9 also requires stuffing double teams in the run game, and Nolen can’t.

I think the Niners will double up at DT and take a pass rusher/penetrator and a run-stuffing boulder. The latter is available in bulk on Day 3. The team's interest in Nolen is high with a formal interview at the Combine and a 30 visit.

Nolen has great traits and solid stats, 6.5 sacks with 34 pressures and 31 defensive stops (tackles behind the line or at the line of scrimmage). He’s raw though, he lacks contact balance and rush moves. Nolen at 11 is a vote of confidence in DL Coach Kris Kocurek.

Why no offensive tackle? They are hoping to land a left tackle in the 2nd or 3rd led by two visits with Oregon’s Josh Conerly Jr. at Indy and Eugene, and a recent 30 visit by Ohio State’s Josh Simmons.

Why no defensive back? Three 30 visits with DBs projected for the later rounds, which fits the regime’s draft history.

59. (trade down from 43 with Houston) - Femi Oladejo (UCLA) Edge 6-3/261

I have the Niners targeting three players at 43, Conerly and Simmons at tackle along with Ohio State RB TreVeyon Henderson. All three are off the board, Chicago may take two of them.

So I insert one of my favorite draft ideas here, the 49ers deal down to set up the 3rd round and get the players they want. Houston moves up for a defensive lineman, the Niners go down to where Oladejo is still on the board and land a player they love while adding a late 3rd. Oladejo excels at speed to power and is a converted LB that sets the edge against the run.

75. Anthony Belton (NC State) OT 6-6/345

Great burst off the line with violent hands. He’s eager to bury targets and can play out of control as a result. A 30 visitor. William and Mary’s Charles Grant is another tackle option, the Niners held a private workout with him.

89. (from Houston) – Harold Fannin Jr. (Bowling Green) TE 6-3/241

Kyle Shanahan gets his man. Fannin is young (turns 21 in July) with gaudy stats: 1,550 yards, 10 touchdowns, 32 missed forced tackles, 74 first downs, and seven red zone touchdowns. The extra value Shanahan is after is alignment versatility and the resulting matchup problem. Fannin is a surfboard with very stiff hips, but he makes sharp cuts and accelerates well, a move blocker not inline. He would need to be picked in a trade down from 43 or 75 or up from 100. If the Niners wait at 100, I think he's gone.

100. Chris Paul Jr. (Ole Miss) LB 6-1/225

Pooh plays low and downhill, with smart reads and a high motor. A fluid athlete in pass coverage with four pbu’s and a pick. Effective blitzer with six sacks and 25 pressures, 54 defensive stops. He drops due to size and length, but he fits the Niner LB blueprint. 30 visit.

113. D.J. Giddens (Kansas State) RB 6-0/214

A downhill back that’s elusive in traffic and sets up his blockers well. Solid in pass pro and as a receiver. What about…Tuten, fumbles, also the issue for Smith and Blue. Harvey 24 and hunts for bounce outs, Bobby Turner won’t go for that. Martinez body catcher and poor in pass pro, Neal no top gear, Allen slow acceleration, Etienne production, Brooks poor in space.

138. Cobee Bryant (Kansas) DB 6-0/180

A formal interview and a 30 visit show the Niners interest. Four picks, four pbu’s, ten forced incompletions. They are rumored to also be interested in VA Tech’s Dorian Strong.

147. Caleb Rogers (Texas Tech) G 6-5/313

The movement skills for outside zone, he ran a 4.51 in the short shuttle at Indy. Over 4,000 play reps including both guard spots and center. 30 visit.

160. Yahya Black (Iowa) DT 6-6/337

The boulder. Massive. Long with 35-inch arms. Not a pass rusher but 26 defensive stops.

183. (trade up with Baltimore) Chimere Dike (Florida) WR/KR 6-1/196

The 49ers give up a 6th round pick next year and two 7ths this year to move up. Dike has 4.34 speed, separates, is great at the catch point (70% contested catch rate), and an excellent kick returner. He falls due to route running, YAC, and hands (8.7% drop rate).

249. Jonah Monheim (USC) C 6-4/307

A 30 visit player and the Niners have selected USC linemen in the recent past.

What about?

Safety – Kitan Crawford of Nevada is a possibility in a 6th round trade up, 4.41 free safety, 4.03 short shuttle, and special teams experience. I don’t think the Niners will prioritize the position.

Another edge – Could happen. I like Antwaun Powell-Ryland of VA Tech if he falls to the late 5th. I expect a 2nd edge will be a priority in UDFA.

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