Ladies and gentlemen, friends and foe, fans and…well yes mainly just San Francisco 49er fans…GATHER ‘ROUND.
The wait is over.
For the first time this year Larry Krueger has released his full 2019 San Francisco 49ers mock draft, all seven rounds of it. It started with a blockbuster trade, and ended with the 49ers stockpiling playmakers deep in the draft. Here’s how Larry sees the draft shaking out:
First Round
No. 7 (from Jacksonville): Devin White – LB, Louisiana State
Like we said, Krueger’s draft starts with a bang. Instead of taking a defensive lineman (presumably DL Nick Bosa or DT Quinnen Williams), Larry thinks the 49ers will ship the second pick overall to the Jacksonville Jaguars, a team hungry for a quarterback, in exchange for running back Leonard Fournette.
“A guy like Fournette would be ideal. He’s a big back, grew up a 49er fan. He would be very excited to be a 49er. He’s coming off a down year, I think a year from now you’re going to look up and say, ‘That’s one of the best backs in the NFL and the 49ers got him for a steal.’”
This would allow the Jags to take their pick at the draft’s top signal-callers, and the 49ers to add talent on both sides of the ball. Moving down to the the seventh pick means the 49ers could scoop up a stellar linebacker prospect Devin White, to go alongside Fred Warner.
“Ray Lewis. NaVorro Bowan. Patrick Willis. Devin White is in that class,” Krueger said. “He’s a very sure thing, going to work out incredibly in Indy. Very fast, very powerful. This guy is the total package.
When you think of the 49ers at their very best when they went to the Superbowl they had Bowman and Willis in their prime side-by-side. This would re-create that with Fred Warner and Devin White.”
Second Round
No. 36: A.J. Brown – WR, University of Mississippi
The first piece to a championship roster is a quarterback you believe can win you games in January and early February. After a team has that – and the 49ers believe they do in Jimmy Garoppolo – you need to surround him with weapons.
The 49ers have been flirting with Antonio Brown over the last couple months, but those talks have died down. That’s why Larry went with A.J. Brown, the big wideout from Ole Miss with his second pick.
“There are three guys on the board that are going to be really interesting. Parris Campbell from Ohio State, Deebo Samuel from South Carolina, and A.J. Brown from Ole Miss. If I had my choice of all three, I’d take Brown out of Ole Miss. But all three of those guys could be on the board when the 49ers pick in the late 30s.”
Third Round
No. 67: Charles Omenihu – DL, University of Texas
Like we said before, most people have the 49ers taking a defensive lineman with their top pick. Because Larry traded down and drafted Devin White he thinks the 49ers could address the defensive line through free agency by taking a look at players like Dante Fowler Jr. and Trey Flowers.
In addition, Larry thinks the 49ers could take a shot on Texas defensive lineman Charles Omenihu.
“He’s a bigger-bodied guy, about 275 pounds. But he’s angular, he’s about 6’6″, and he’s got a lot of pass rush potential. If he’s on the board in Round 3, I think that’s too good of a player to pass up.”
No. 69 (from Jacksonville): Khalen Saunders – DL, Western Illinois University
If the 49ers pulled off a trade for Leonard Fournette and get a third round pick in that package, Larry says Shanahan, Lynch and company should stockpile defensive lineman.
“Now the 49ers don’t need more defensive line help, but this guy is too hard to pass. This guy is just a wrecker. He’s good against the run, good against the pass. He’s 320 pounds, can do backflips. He’s really really athletic and productive.
Western Illinois DT Khalen Saunders is 320-pounds and can backflip ? pic.twitter.com/IsAmfHX5Ux
— Football Central™ (@TheFBCentral) February 6, 2019
“To me, to get a player like this in the third round … the only reason he’s going to be there is because he’s coming out of Western Illinois and not Ohio State or Michigan. If this guy played in the Big 10 he’s a first round pick.”
Fourth Round
No. 104: Kendall Sheffield – CB, Ohio State University
In the fourth round Larry thinks the 49ers will address the secondary by selecting Kendall Sheffield from Ohio State, a program known for producing big-time secondary players.
“They coach that position exceptionally well. Sheffield is a rangy corner with unbelievable speed. I think he’d be a nice pick for the 49ers in Round 4.
Sixth Round
No. 176: Penny Hart – WR, Georgia State University
“In round six I’m going with Penny Hart, we’re going wide receiver. He impressed people in Mobile at the Senior Bowl. Big-play guy. Explosive playmaker out of the slot.
No. 212: Devine Ozigbo – RB, University of Nebraska
To win in the NFL you need to run the ball, so Larry is stocking up on running backs in the 2019 draft. Including trading for Leonard Fournette he thinks the 49ers could take a look at Devine Ozigbo, a senior from Nebraska.
“Great receiver. Really good athlete, about 235 pounds. He can run from scrimmage, can catch it out of the backfield. He give them an element I don’t think they have right now.”
Larry will be be mocking the entire 49ers draft up until the actual event on April 25. Be sure to check back in at KNBR.com as these mocks will change following the NFL combine and the 49ers make moves through free agency.