The upcoming NFL Draft is a crucial one for the 49ers’ new front office of John Lynch and Kyle Shanahan. They are coming off of a free agent signing period that saw them add some quality roster depth, but the 49ers now need to find their next core of great players and it needs to come from April’s NFL Draft.
Larry’s Picks
No. 2 Leonard Fournette (RB, LSU) — I’m starting my rebuild by adding a dynamic offensive weapon in LSU’s star running back Leonard Fournette. Fournette is a power/speed combo back at 6-foot-1 and 235-pounds. He played in a pro style offense at LSU and he’s a physical downhill runner with the speed to go the distance on every play. Fournette is a punishing runner and a capable receiver and he will team with Carlos Hyde to give the 49ers their own version of Devonta Freeman/Tevin Coleman, a combo that helped lead the Falcons to last year’s Super Bowl.
No. 34 Davis Webb (QB, Cal) — I’m drafting Cal’s QB Davis Webb to be my QB of the future. Webb is likely being downgraded due to the fact that Jared Goff struggled mightily this year, but they are completely different prospects. Webb is 6-foot-5 and 230-pounds and is the son of a HS Football coach. He lives to watch game film and he’s an underrated athlete who finished in the top 5 of every drill at the Combine. Webb impressed NFL personnel people with his MVP performance at the Senior Bowl. He has a quick release and I saw him operate without a hiccup in a driving rainstorm in Berkeley during the Big Game. He needs to work on his footwork, but he will be this draft’s best QB when it’s all said and done and he’s a steal at the top of round two. I think Webb is so talented that he could make the 49ers decide not to pursue Kirk Cousins as a free agent next March.
Third round: Elijah Lee (LB, Kansas State) — The 49ers are desperate for athletic linebackers. They reached a Super Bowl with Patrick Willis and NaVorro Bowman at inside linebacker, and they need to find the superior athletes who can make plays, versus the run or pass, sideline to sideline. In round three I’m addressing that need with K-State’s uber-athletic Elijah Lee. Lee is an explosive athlete who excels in space, and he totaled 110 tackles for the Wildcats this season. He’s a first round athlete who will be available in round three due to perceived size limitations. I think he would project nicely as a 4-3 weakside linebacker. I could envision Lee starting next to Bowman this season.
Fourth round: Howard Wilson (DB, Houston) — In round four, I’m opting to add a big, rangy cornerback who could excel in press man coverage. Howard Wilson of Houston is 6-foot-1 and 190-pounds and he has long arms. Wilson had an ACL injury in 2015, so his value is down, but he also has outstanding ball production (24 PDs and 9 INTs) in college. He’s the type of corner that Robert Saleh prefers, long, rangy, and smothering. He could immediately add depth to a talented young secondary.
Fourth round: Lorenzo Jerome (S, St. Francis) — With my second pick in round four, I’m opting for a small school safety who opened my eyes in the All-Star games. Lorenzo Jerome played at FCS-level St. Francis in Pennsylvania. Jerome just has an elite instinct for the ball and had 18 INTs in college and added three more in two postseason all-star games. He’s ordinary as a tackler, but his elite ball production is intriguing and he could emerge as a key contributor. I think he could compete to start right away at strong safety.
Fifth round: Tanzel Smart (DL, Tulane) — In round five, I’m drafting Tulane’s defensive tackle Tanzel Smart. Smart reminds me of Warren Sapp. He’s short and squatty at 6’0 and 295-pounds, but he can really rush the passer and he plays the game on his feet. He’s very athletic and plays with a nonstop motor. He’s likely not an every down player, but he could be devastating as a situational interior pass rusher.
Fifth round: Elijah McGuire (RB, Louisiana-Lafayette): With my second pick in round five I’m drafting another running back. Louisiana-Lafayette’s Elijah McGuire is a terrific prospect. He is 5-foot-10 and 212-pounds and really excels as receiver out of the backfield. He was consistently productive in four years, and averaged over 1,000 yards rushing every season. His quickness compensates for ordinary speed, and he would be a nice complementary back in Shanahan’s system.
Sixth round: Chad Kelly (QB, Ole Miss) — In round six, I’m taking another quarterback. Ole Miss’ Chad Kelly has had a myriad of issues, but his arm talent is as good as any QB in this draft and he’d be an absolute steal this late in the draft. Kelly is a gunslinger with a rifle arm and a quick release. He was very productive in the best conference in America and he’s worth selecting here.
Sixth round: Damore’ea Stringfellow (WR, Ole Miss) — With my second pick in the sixth round, I’m drafting Kelly’s No. 1 wide receiver Damore’ea Stringfellow. He is 6-foot-2 212-pound wide out who averaged 15.6 yards per catch in 2016. He plucks the ball out of the air with big mitts and he’s shifty enough to make defenders miss in open spaces. Stringfellow has stop and start quickness, and well above average route running ability.
Seventh Round: Ukeme Eligwe (LB, Georgia Southern) — The state of Georgia produces an absurd number of professional football players and they aren’t all in Athens. Ukeme Eligwe (pronounced ew-KIM-ay ee-LEEG-way). Eligwe is a super athletic 6-foot-2 240-pound linebacker from Georgia Southern. He was a consensus top-10 prospect nationally at linebacker coming out of high school. He originally went to Florida State and played a key role on their 2013 National Championship team. He transferred to Georgia Southern. Check out his highlight reel for yourself.
Seventh Round: Robert Davis (WR, Georgia State) — Another player from the state of Georgia to look for late is Georgia State wide receiver Robert Davis. Davis strands 6-foot-3 and weighs 219-pounds, but he wasn’t heavily recruited out of high school because he played in a run-heavy offense. Davis is related to Carolina Panthers’ LB-Thomas Davis and has lit up the Sun Belt Conference over the last two seasons. He ran 4.44 in Indy and had a 41″ vertical. Davis is a size/speed developmental prospect and I’d take a late round or post draft stab and hope he emerges.
KJ’s picks
No. 2 — Jamal Adams, (S, LSU) — Versatile, rangy and violent, Adams becomes the immediate focal point of the secondary, lining up everywhere depending on the matchup. The word leadership is cliche, but he’s the type alpha male guy people follow in the locker room. This move should keep Jimmie Ward locked in at outside cornerback alongside Rashard Robinson and convert Jaquiski Tartt into more of a hybrid matchup linebacker in the passing game. Adams can play both center field and around the line of scrimmage, hopefully the former while Eric Reid patrols the line. Adams has Pro Bowl potential and is a tone-setter Lynch can’t afford to pass up.
No. 34 — Patrick Mahomes (QB, Texas Tech) If Shanahan believes he can coach a few bad habits out of Mahomes, this is the pick that could end up altering the 49ers’ future the next decade. Mahomes does have the best arm in the draft and the type of confidence NFL teams crave, meaning the Texans might pounce at No. 25. He’s 6-foot-2, mobile and is not your typical highlight reel Big 12 product. Watch tape and you’ll see some Ben Roethlisberger type of abilities within the pocket.
Third round: Jordan Willis (Edge Rusher, Kansas State) — He’s got the size (6-foot-4, 255-pounds), production (Big 12 DPOY with 11.5 sacks) and reps on tape as a three-year starter to believe he could play right away over Aaron Lynch. Willis was also stout against the run with the Wildcats. That can’t be a forgotten equation when it comes to this draft.
Fourth round: Bucky Hodges (TE, Virginia Tech) — There’s a reason the 49ers were rumored to be in on Martellus Bennett earlier this offseason: The team needs a real hybrid matchup problem at the tight end position. Enter the 6-foot-7 Hodges, who blossomed as a red zone target by catching 20 touchdowns in three seasons. There’s some route running issues I think Shanahan and Mike McDaniel will be able to clean up.
Fourth round: Donnel Pumphrey (RB, San Diego St) — After breaking Ron Dayne’s all-time rushing record, Pumphrey will be on Shanahan’s radar. because he excels as an outside zone runner. This is truly a dynamic change of pace, home-run hitting threat to pair with Carlos Hyde. The concern is he’s too small (5-foot-8, 180 pounds) to block as a third down back. Regardless, this is the type of speed and electricity San Francisco’s offense needs.
Fifth round: Jayon Brown (LB, UCLA) — Sideline to sideline coverage linebackers are valuable in today’s NFL. The 49ers need replacements for Michael Wilhoite, Nick Bellore, Gerald Hodges. Brown’s a 230-pounder, who filled in admirably at linebacker for Myles Jack.
Fifth round: J.J. Dielman (OL, Utah) — A leg injury senior year hurt the 6-foot-5, 309-pounder’s draft stock — cue the Trent Baalke jokes. Still, he’s versatile and athletic, and has the ability to play both right tackle and center. Dielman is considered very good scheme fit for Shanahan’s zone-blocking system.
Sixth round: Malachi Dupre (WR, LSU )– The quarterback situation no doubt hurt his draft stock. With 41 receptions last season, Dupre led the Tigers. He’s not a speedster at 6-foot-2, but he has reliable hands and untapped potential in a run-first offense. He’s worth the chance in the sixth round.
Sixth round: Ben Boulware (LB, Clemson) — One of the most confident interviews at the combine, Boulware told teams to “pull up the tape,” if they want to know why he deserves an NFL roster spot. Not the fastest or the strongest, Boulware plays with great instincts — 116 tackles, 11.5 for a loss in a championship campaign last year. He’ll be the hardest worker in the locker room to prove himself and could catch on as a traditional thumping middle linebacker.
Seventh round — You people are sick for still caring about this! I love the NFL.