Now that the NFL combine is in the books, its time to start focusing our dreams of drafting every player who had a great combine into what an actual draft would look like. As of now we are still waiting on what a potential Jimmy G trade would bring us in terms of additional draft picks. After the Rodgers extension and seeing what Seattle got for Wilson, I am very optimistic about what the 49ers could get. With Contenders like Indy, Pittsburgh, Tampa, and New Orleans a QB away they could justify parting a first for Jimmy G. While we wait for that I’ll personally hold off on attempting to predict any trades myself in my mock drafts.
Rd 2: Pick 61 – Lewis Cine, Safety, Georgia. Cine is one of my favorite prospects that is currently projected to be in the 50-75 range. I love watching Cine roam the field with his elite athleticism and high IQ. Cine also plays the game with an edge which I feel is a requirement for how the 49ers like to play defense.
Rd 3: Pick 93 – Nik Bonitto, EDGE, Oklahoma. From what I have seen, Bonitto is projected to be a late 3rd, early 4th round pick and I truly don’t understand it. He was productive in his Junior and Senior years at Oklahoma and tested very well at the combine. Bonitto would bring a great athletic profile and solid technique to an elite coaching staff.
Rd 3: Pick 102 – Cole Strange, Guard, UT Chattanooga. I mentioned Cole Strange in my breakdown of the 2nd day of the combine. Strange is one of those small school unicorns that move very well while also bringing a lot of strength to the table. That combination of athleticism and strength would bode very well in the 49ers zone running scheme. Strange is a bit of a raw prospect but having him play next to Alex Mack assuming Mack doesn’t retire would be an incredible way to learn the game at the pro level.
Rd 4: Pick 143 – Velus Jones Jr, WR, Tennessee. Jones raised his draft stock a ton when he ran a 4.31 and finished 2nd at the WR position at the combine in the 40. Jones is a guy that projects as a potential slot receiver and return specialist. He needs a little route running polish but brings a ton of value as a returner as he shared the Special Teamer of the Year in the SEC honors this passed season. Jones could start as our returner his rookie year as he takes some time to adjust to playing WR in the NFL.
Rd 5: Pick 172 – Dominique Robinson, EDGE, Miami Ohio. I wrote about him in my Combine Day 3 breakdown and this is my current draft crush. Robinson was recruited as a 210lb dual threat QB to play WR at Miami. He added 43 pounds through his college career and transition to be a hyper athletic Defensive End. I love the small school prospects who show an elite work ethic to develop into NFL draft picks. Robinson is a guy I’d be on to grow into a starter in the NFL and he would be a steal in round 5.
Rd 6: Pick 186 – Tyler Goodson, RB, Iowa. This feels like the perfect time to take a guy who could provide great depth to the backfield. Goodson reminds me of a slightly more athletic Jeff Wilson Jr. He is a very hard runner who has a solid all around game. Goodson was very productive at Iowa and ended up putting on a good show at the combine to make me feel like he could be a solid compliment to Mitchell.
Rd 7: Pick 252 – Nephi Sewell, LB, Utah. Brother of Penei Sewell, Nephi started his career as a safety at Nevada before transferring to Utah to play linebacker. He fits the athletic style of linebacker that the 49ers lean towards and showed a lot of production this last year with 89 tackles and 7.5 tackles for loss. I am also a big fan of when a player has great bloodlines as he has another brother, Noah, who is a highly touted prospect out of Oregon. That typically means their upbringing prepared them for success if all brothers achieve success wherever they go.
Rd 7: Pick 255 – Amare Barno, EDGE, Virginia Tech. Barno was the star of the combine being the first ever DE to run sub 4.4 at the 40. He had an incredible Junior year at VT with 6 sacks and 16 tackles for loss but fell off a lot his senior year with just 3.5 sacks and 5.5 tackles for loss. I’d be surprised if Barno was still projected to fall this far after the combine he had, but the struggles he had his senior year had him as an undrafted prospect heading into the combine.
Rd 7: Pick 262 – Zyon McCollum, CB, Sam Houston State. An absolute freak athlete who made my Combine Day 5 breakdown. He is 6’2″ with beyond elite athleticism. He will come in a bit of a raw prospect overall but has the size, speed, and agility to turn into a starter in the NFL and has an extremely high ceiling. If the 49ers end up with Zyon and can develop him to his potential, he will be a steal!
In this scenario, the 49ers go heavy on defense with a huge push on athletes. They get some players that can produce right away but overall the draft strategy here is to get some future high level starters and take advantage of the fact that they have a roster that is ready to compete now and doesn’t have massive needs. Taking players they can develop will help them sustain success long term. There was a bit of an overdraft at the EDGE spot picking 3 players but Robinson and Barno won’t likely make an impact for at least one year if not more. It’s about the overall ceiling of those players more than anything. Overall I would be thrilled if the 49ers could land so many players with elite athletic profiles and high ceilings. Of course I love my own mock draft, but my favorite part of this is giving our great coaching staff some athletes to work with and coach up.
I’d love to hear anyones thoughts on what they love or don’t love about this and what they feel might be missing! Comment below or tweet me @PanderXanderson
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