© Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports
SANTA CLARA — In John Lynch and Kyle Shanahan’s inaugural NFL draft as the 49ers brass last year, they acquired several players who played key roles in the 2017 campaign. They were working with a “blank canvas,” as Lynch called last year’s roster during his annual pre-NFL Draft meeting with the media Monday afternoon.
This year is different. The 49ers have high expectations after winning their final five games of the 2017 campaign and revamping their roster in free agency.
San Francisco’s 21-personnel scouting staff has prepared since last March for the 2018 NFL Draft beginning Thursday afternoon. Lynch said 98 percent of the work has been done, and now he and Shanahan must synthesize more than a year’s worth of information into a solid plan.
“I think we do this well,” Lynch said. “And I think the collaboration we use, to everyone coming together, is a place where we can outdistance our competition.”
The 49ers have the No. 9 overall pick in the upcoming draft. Four of the teams selecting before San Francisco are expected to pick a quarterback, leaving Lynch and Shanahan with potential access to a top-5 player on their board.
Their quarterback search is a thing of the past, with Jimmy Garoppolo cemented as the starter.
“One of the fun things is we haven’t spent a whole lot of time on (evaluating quarterbacks),” Lynch said.
Lynch highlighted the unpredictability of this draft, requiring the 49ers to have several plans with the No. 9 overall pick.
This year’s draft is particularly deep, containing about 100 potential NFL starters, according to Lynch’s evaluations. Out of those players, the 49ers have graded 30 of them as first-round talent, with 12 as Pro Bowl-caliber players.
That means the 49ers could potentially trade down to Buffalo’s No. 12 slot to ensure they secure one of their top-graded prospects, while adding another pick. San Francisco could also trade up if it feels strongly enough about a player, something Lynch won’t rule out.
Last year, the 49ers traded their No. 2 overall pick to the Chicago Bears for the No. 3 selection and three more picks, including a third-rounder in this year’s draft. One year after saying the 49ers were “open for business,” Lynch will consider all trades in the upcoming draft.
“I think this thing could break in a ton of different directions,” Lynch said. “I think what’s important for us being at (No.) 9, is you don’t fall in love with one player and say, ‘That’s the guy…’ As we showed last year, we are going to be aggressive in finding the guys we like.”
Lynch refrained from giving away intel, but he mentioned that he will treat the draft as if current 49ers linebacker Reuben Foster won’t be on the team. Foster is awaiting a verdict on three felony charges, including domestic violence. If the charges are proven true, he will be released, Lynch said Monday. The 49ers, consequently, may bolster the linebacker position, with talented prospects such as Georgia’s Roquan Smith and Virginia Tech’s Tremaine Edmunds as top options in the first round.
They will also look to add depth to a shallow secondary, add another edge rusher, and supplement the offense with dynamic playmakers. If San Francisco’s 2017 draft proved anything, it’s that quality options remain in late rounds.
The 49ers added both tight end George Kittle and receiver Trent Taylor in the fifth round, both of which were key contributors in a passing game that flourished down the final stretch of the season. In the seventh round, San Francisco drafted Adrian Colbert, who is now the team’s starting free safety.
The 49ers also added running back Matt Breida, receiver Kendrick Bourne, and offensive tackle Darrell Williams as undrafted free agent signings after the 2017 NFL Draft.
“Everyone focuses on the work up top at No. 9,” Lynch said. “But we really try to take a holistic look at this thing and pride ourselves on being real strong in the back end of these drafts.”
Lynch feels the 49ers largely hold an advantage over other teams because of Shanahan’s football mind. He targets specific types of players according to his scheme.
Lynch said the trust between he and Shanahan has strengthened entering their second year.
“When you have that trust, when you have that idea of not being afraid to challenge each other, but ultimately always being able to find a way to come to a consensus and come to a decision we are both happy about,” Lynch said, “I think that’s something we see as a big strength around here. I love going through this process with him.”