Let’s dive right in
1.John Lynch is getting rave reviews for his first-ever NFL Draft — and he should be. His approach has been well calculated and inclusive to begin his tenure. But those clever trades? All the fleecing that went on? That was Paraag Marathe. It’s why the 49ers’ chief strategy officer is now on the radar to run another front office around the NFL, possibly as soon as 2018. Lynch has said all along he’s building a team of bright minds and one of those minds is Marathe. San Francisco’s $72.5 million salary cap surplus? That’s Paraag’s doing. If both Solomon Thomas and Reuben Foster become integral parts of this 49ers rebuild, his negotiations will directly contribute to wins. At some point, an NFL owner is going to take a chance on Marathe. Front offices are becoming more collaborative think-thanks than a systematic hierarchy. Sashi Brown in Cleveland was once the team’s lawyer. Lynch was a former player and broadcaster. No matter what’s been said about him the past, Marathe was a rock star during the 2017 NFL Draft, and with the right football person next to him, I’d expect him on a shortlist of football decision-maker candidates in the near future.
2. It was Shanahan’s comments from the King piece that told us most about the direction of this team at quarterback. C.J. Beathard was the only QB he wanted from this draft class, which tells us two separate things. A) The Robert Griffin III fallout has left Shanahan extremely bullish on drafting a quarterback from a spread system, and he may stay entirely away from them in future drafts. B) Beathard could end up sitting years behind Kirk Cousins in an Aaron Rodgers type of situation. If and when Beathard makes spot starts and plays really well, the 49ers become like how the Patriots have Jimmy Garoppolo. They have leverage on other quarterback needy teams. If you trade Beathard, you trust Shanahan to pick the next one in the cycle. The 49ers can bet on their head coach’s talent evaluation in the middle of the draft — a luxury only a handful of elite teams have.
3. The Redskins didn’t draft a quarterback, but don’t let that fool you: They are preparing for life after Cousins. The team is high on Nate Sudfield and Washington spent several early round draft picks bolstering their defense — Jonathan Allen (DL), Ryan Anderson (LB), Fabian Moreau (S). After also letting Pierre Garcon and DeSean Jackson go in free agency, they are preparing to switch their football identity to become a defensive team. The Redskins could’ve added weapons on offense this draft to help Cousins, but they already know re-signing him is a long shot. The ball is in the quarterback’s court and at the end of the day, he’s going to lean for Shanahan’s coaching and the stability Lynch is creating in the front office.
4. Foster was several people’s favorite player in this entire draft — Shanahan, Greg Cosell, mine. He’s a monster on tape and could be hoisting the rookie of the year trophy in February. Lynch wasn’t lying to you when he said it was actually Foster’s character that drew the 49ers to the player. Both cocky and lovable — he’s already comparing himself to future Hall of Famer Patrick Willis — Foster will instantly become a character and fixture in the 49ers locker room. For years, Trent Baalke drafted strength and size alone. San Francisco’s locker room became less of a brotherhood and more of a work place. Over the course of time, players like Foster change that. I expect a different vibe on defense and close to 100 tackles from this tone setter.
5. Some of the rookies will be given a chance to play immediately. Trent Taylor was Shanahan’s draft crush, and is a slot receiver who could have a Taylor Gabriel type of role off the bat. The 49ers were not quiet about shopping Vance McDonald, and I had heard they wanted a tight end. George Kittle fits that need as a blocker and he’s slippery over the middle as a receiver — and was Beathard’s roommate at Iowa. I’d wager both rookies make an impact on offense this season in specialty roles. Starting a rookie at cornerback in the NFL is a risky proposition, but Ahkello Witherspoon will be given the opportunity to unseat Dontae Johnson on the outside.
6. If rookies start earning roles and a handful of the 15 undrafted free agents play well, some of the ‘Baalke Holdovers’ are going to be fighting for their roster spot. That list will include Bruce Ellington, Mike Davis, Quinton Dial, Keith Reaser, Tank Carradine, McDonald, Garrett Celek, potentially even Eli Harold. It’s entirely too early to write any player off and these players understand the nature of the business. New regimes like starting new eras with new players. Aaron Lynch and Ahmad Brooks are likely safe because the 49ers opted against addressing the pass rush until round six with Pita Taumoepenu from Utah.
7. Solomon Thomas will have more on his plate than a typical rookie. He’ll have to learn several different positions and because of his class schedule at Stanford, it’s estimated he’ll miss about 12 practices in the spring. A few reporters chatted with Joshua Garnett in the locker room Friday, who also missed those practices a year ago while finishing practice. Garnett felt like the lack of mental reps played a part in him not beginning the season as the starter. Perhaps Thomas’ case will be different, but missing portions of the spring could slow his development in Year 1. Another point to make that’ll help Thomas: Foster will take pressure off of him, both on the field and with expectations from the media and fan base.
8. My Friday night column: 49ers draft strategy was to accumulate future picks, build a bully on defense and trust Shanahan with offense. It’s the first time this organization has had a fluid plan since Harbaugh was in charge. It’s refreshing and probably a solid plan. Let’s see how the year shakes out, but don’t be surprised if the 49ers draft defense again next year in the first round. San Francisco is counting on Shanahan’s coaching to score points than people would expect on paper.