Let’s take a look below as for how we perceive San Francisco will make use of its first five picks in the draft. And for more of our special team-by-team mock draft coverage, check out our previews for two of the Niners’ more notable adversaries from seasons past in the Dallas Cowboys and the Baltimore Ravens right after this.
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2016 NFL Draft Central: San Francisco 49ers
Round 1: Pick #1 (7th overall) – OLB Myles Jack – UCLA
NEEDS at OLB: Leave it to Los Angeles to thwart a Bay Area team’s plans. The Niners will more or less miss out on their initial goal of taking either one of the two top-QB prospects in Carson Wentz and Jared Goff in the first round given the Rams’ recent deal to seize the first-overall pick of the draft away from the Titans.
That leaves the Niners in quite a predicament with their No. 7 pick: do they settle for a less-heralded QB with their high pick, or do they just take the best player still available on the board? We believe that they’ll side with the latter choice, and that’s not entirely a bad decision at all.
STRENGTHS: The 49ers’ linebacker corps has never been the same since the departures of Patrick Willis, Aldon Smith and Chris Borland among others. San Francisco needs to reclaim its status of having one of the best defenses in the league first and foremost, and that begins with California kid in UCLA’s Myles Jack.
The Pac-12 standout is arguably the most versatile and athletic midfield defender in the draft by having fantastic awareness in either run or pass coverage, and can even play running back when called upon. Jack played RB in his sophomore year too, so the Niners get more value for their buck apart from nabbing one of the best linebackers in the draft.
Round 2: Pick #2 (37th overall) – OT Jason Spriggs – Indiana
NEEDS at OT: Now that Alex Boone is with the Vikings, Joe Staley is the only offensive lineman left on the current roster from the 49ers’ imposing unit back in the 2013 season. The Niners are built to run the ball a lot, so having a stout O-line is a huge priority. The team should look to bolster its defenses at the line of scrimmage at this point in the draft not only to get the running game going, but to also shield its signal-caller.
STRENGTHS: 305-pounder Jason Spriggs from Indiana should still be on the board come the second round of the draft, and the 49ers should grab this dude in an instant. Spriggs allowed a total of just four sacks his last two seasons with the Hoosiers, and was instrumental in having former teammate Tevin Coleman rush for over 2,000 yards in 2014. The 6-foot-6 mammoth is even an ideal fit for the Kelly’s zone-blocking scheme, so the Niners would be hard-pressed to find another O-lineman at this stage with standout qualities both in pass protection and run blocking.
Round 3: Pick #3 (68th overall) – DE Bronson Kaufusi – BYU
NEEDS at DE: With a base 3-4 defensive scheme in place, San Francisco has often relied on its outside linebackers in the pass rush. Troubled Aldon Smith used to fill-in this role, but we all know the team doesn’t need another defender with so many off-field issues. The Niners were never the same since beloved defensive tackle Justin Smith retired in 2014, so maybe its time to get a strong, able body from the D-line again instead.
STRENGTHS: First of all, BYU’s Bronson Kaufusi has no prior history of delinquent activity, so there’s no need to worry about his personal demeanor at all. The Utah native even went on a two-year Mormon church mission before wreaking havoc at Brigham Young. Though he lacks the relative ability to scrape corners from the edge as well as others, he’s still broad and athletic enough to do damage from the DE slot in the 3-4 scheme, all the while leaving the Niners’ other OLBs to disrupt from the far edges of the defensive attack.
Round 4: Pick #4 (105th overall) – QB Dak Prescott – Mississippi State
NEEDS at QB: The Colin Kaepernick sweepstakes (or more like fire sale) is not going as planned for the 49ers. It’s clear that Kaepernick wants out of the Bay Area, and forcing him to play out this season under Kelly’s relatively strict regime might only cause more problems. Having Blaine Gabbert as the backup plan for the second-consecutive season is not a feasible alternative either, so grabbing a top-caliber quarterback even in the later rounds of the draft is still imperative for San Francisco.
STRENGTHS: Not to be discouraged by not drafting a QB with their seventh-overall pick, the Niners should still find plenty to love from Mississippi State’s Dak Prescott. The dual-threat quarterback fits Chip Kelly’s system of having a mobile QB with great field awareness and quick feet to scramble. Prescott was a Heisman Trophy candidate in 2014 before seeing his play drop off a bit in his senior year, but a fresh start with a coach that is akin to his own skill set may be the push he deserves to make it big in the pros.
Round 4: Pick #5 (133th overall) – WR Thomas Duarte – UCLA
NEEDS at C: Hard to tell whether or not the Niners’ abysmal passing game last season has its poor receiving corps to blame as well rather than just the porous O-line and Kaepernick’s downfall. Nevertheless, San Francisco should still reward its QB at the helm (whoever that may be come Week 1) with some young downfield threats, and having a surprising aerial attack this coming season will only do wonders for the Niners’ running game as well.
STRENGTHS: Could another UCLA product possibly join the 49ers at this point in the draft? Thomas Duarte’s likely available around this time still, considering that many teams may be afraid to draft a not-so prolific underclassman in the fiftth round. Duarte’s more of a possession receiver than a speedy one given his size and route-running acumen. Then again, the Niners have never been known to chuck tons of passes way down the field anyway, so the team can take the plunge in picking up a smart, lanky receiver rather than one with mad wheels.
The 49ers have 12 picks in the 2016 NFL Draft:
- Round One – #7 overall
- Round Two – #37 overall
- Round Three – #68 overall
- Round Four – #105 overall
- Round Four – #133 overall
- Round Five – #142 overall
- Round Five – #145 overall
- Round Five – #174 overall
- Round Six – #178 overall
- Round Six – # 207 overall
- Round Six – #211 overall
- Round Six – #213 overall
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