Day 2 Watchlist
With two picks (No. 63 and No. 94) on the second day, we should be looking to add two guys who can either play significant snaps this season and/or fill major holes a year from now. The positions we’ll be targeting will obviously depend in part on who we picked on day one, but I think our goal should be to address three of these four positions by the end of day 2: OL, CB, DL, and WR. Filling only two of those positions is fair game if we find tremendous value somewhere else. The only position we 100% HAVE to address within these first three rounds is offensive line. If not, I will lose my shit.
With this class having notable depth at OL and WR, plus a cluster of cornerbacks with 2nd-to-3rd round grades, it would make a lot of sense for our first three picks to be at those positions. But we don’t want to reach for need and there are more than a few defensive linemen who seem to be hovering a bit under the radar given their talent level
For this write-up I’m going to look (mostly) at players ranked in the consensus top 100 (# next to their name). Anyone outside the top 100 will be labeled with an estimated selection round. Players will be clustered based on their positions for ease of discussion and reading (and so you can skip entire sections depending on who we drafted the day before).
OFFENSIVE LINE
We’re starting with the big boys again simply because if we didn’t draft an offensive lineman in the first round I will be shitting bricks consistently until we do on day 2. After the Top 9 offensive tackles mentioned (or alluded to) in the day 1 watchlist, only three tackles remain in the top 100 (with a few others knocking on the door).
First up, two mammoth tackles with ideal frames and plenty of athleticism. Kiran Amegadjie (Yale, #66) is one of the great question marks of this draft. He didn’t play football until midway through high school, had one year of college ball canceled due to the pandemic shutdown, and only played four games last year before going down with an injury that kept him out of nearly the entire pre-draft evaluation process. The red flags are obvious and it’s unlikely he could contribute as a rookie, but the traits teams covet are equally as apparent.
I dunno where the shit Morgan State is, but pancakes in pass pro off redirects are always chill. Amegadjie’s size, length, and athleticism are all elite, his work ethic and smarts are universally lauded, and there’s no question his best football is ahead of him.
Meanwhile, Patrick Paul (Houston, #67) has a slightly bigger frame and slightly worse athleticism, but—despite starting four straight years at Houston, three of which he was named First-Team All-Conference—he’s also got plenty of technique work to clean up. He plays too high, struggles on redirects, and can get sloppy, lunge, and lose balance—particularly in the run game—which has led to several penalties throughout his career. Like Amegadjie, he seems to be wired right, but he’s not as game-ready as you’d expect after 44 collegiate starts.
Blake Fisher (Notre Dame, #75) is a naturally talented and athletic tackle who is at his best blocking on the move in zone and stretch run games. He has the athleticism to deal with redirects and countermoves, but he needs to shore up his technique and angles and can sometimes struggle to shift to plan B when things get dicey. Due in part to that, his projection is more positive as a run blocker than a pass blocker.
Rounding out the tackles, Roger Rosengarten (Washington, 2nd-3rd round) is an athletic and aggressive tackle with great quicks in the trenches and ability in space, but his lack of play strength is always going to be an issue. Mel Kiper keeps mocking him to us in the first round, which is, uh… a bit high. Brandon Coleman (TCU, 2nd-3rd round) is a tough brawler who plays well in space but could benefit from cleaning up his technique so he doesn’t have to brawl as much.
The interior line has a few more options, including two high-floor guard prospects. Cooper Beebe (Kansas State, #62) is a savvy and accomplished 48-game starter whose lack of length and ideal athleticism may cap his potential, but his floor is starter-level. Comparatively, Christian Haynes (UConn, #61) has a bit more size and athleticism but gives up some consistency to Beebe. Both are safe prospects. Both are likely starters.
At center, Zach Frazier (West Virginia, #46) could be a sneaky find despite being a four-year starter in a major conference. A four-time state champ in wrestling, Frazier’s got a good first step and (unsurprisingly) super strong hands. He rarely makes mistakes, erases dudes once he latches on, and is well-versed in both zone and gap schemes. Despite his lack of length and middling athleticism, in most other classes he’s probably the first center off the board. He just happens to be in a class where two centers who could go in the first round overshadow him.
Finally, if versatility is what you’re looking for, Dominick Puni (Kansas, #87) has started games at both guard and tackle in his six(!) years in college and has even played snaps at center. He probably doesn’t have the athleticism to line up outside full-time, but could be a starter on the interior and has the power and versatility to be the rare swing for all five spots along the OL.
Shot in the Dark: I like the kid from Yale but think he may go overdrafted by a team out of contention who has more time to develop him. It’s easy to see him and Patrick Paul going off the board before we get our first pick on day 2. Fisher and Rosengarten are both nice scheme fits and are especially intriguing if we can snag them in the third round after the mad run on tackles. The interior guys aren’t sexy but they all seem safe, with Frazier being the most appealing.
WIDE RECEIVER
Like cornerback, wide receiver is a position that we may not need immediately but could desperately need a year from now. Unlike cornerback, it’s a little harder for us to pinpoint exactly what we want this position group to look like moving forward, which in turn makes it difficult to determine which type of prospect we’re looking for.
With how many snaps tight ends and fullbacks get in our system and how run-heavy and physical we are, my guess is that the Niners don’t want to pay multiple receivers big money at the same time and that they’d rather spend their cap on a single alpha (Aiyuk) and surround him with a deeper crop of receivers whom they can mix and match situationally. Think of it like the Packers receiving corps but with a true No.1.
Because of that, I don’t think we’ll be as interested in pure slot guys without game-breaking gadget play speed and/or excellent YAC ability. That could drop Ricky Pearsall (Florida, #49) and Jalen McMillan (Washington, #81) on our boards, but I wouldn’t quite close the door on Roman Wilson (Michigan, #44). While Wilson has a slot body like the others and didn’t show a ton of wiggle in the open field in college, he’s got legit burner speed, cuts on a dime through his routes, and–super important for any slot trying to cut it with the Niners–is already a physical and willing blocker. Once he learns to tempo and sell his routes, he could vastly overperform his college production and shape himself into a genuine three-level threat. While the best place for him to do that would likely be in a wide-open offense that likes to throw vertically, he may appeal to the Niners more than most slots.
When it comes to bigger-bodied X receivers, Tez Walker (North Carolina, #74) is a smooth, long-striding vertical threat, but when he has to break down, make hard cuts, and basically do anything short of 15 yards, he’s a different (much worse) player. Intriguing, but likely too one-dimensional for us. Javon Baker (UCF, #88) is another strong athlete who can win both down the field or on screens and other schemed-up “room-to-run” plays. He averaged an FBS-second-best 21.9 ypc this season, but his game has a lot of inconsistencies and inefficiencies. Interesting talent but a developmental one, so the price has to be right.
If I had to guess, I’d say our most likely day 2 receiver would be one of the three names below—all of whom have vastly different skillsets.
Ja’Lynn Polk (Washington, #69)—the third Washington wideout to be in the top 100 this year—isn’t anywhere near the kind of athlete that Tez or Baker is, but he’s a much more polished and physical presence and thrives on the underneath routes we love so much. His lack of top-end speed and burst are question marks in terms of separation—and some wonder if he’ll be relegated to a zone-beater role because of it—but his footwork, physicality, and route-running skills are advanced and his ability to play strong from his route through the catch point means he can get by with less separation than most. He’s cut more from the Pierre Garcon/Anquan Boldin mold.
If you’re interested in size-speed combos then Xavier Legette (South Carolina, #58) is your man. At 6’1” 223 lbs. he looks more like a power running back than an X receiver and his game has a lot of DK Metcalf to it. Dude is an absolute athlete (4.39 forty, 40” vertical), is a load to bring down in the open field, and flashes some truly impressive ability at the catch point. I don’t know how quick and slippery he is and there’s a legitimate real chance he never becomes a good route-runner. That’s typically not the sort of guy we look at, but—given his vertical ability and YAC skills—we may just call a fuck it and deploy him as a “three S” (streak, slant, screen) guy, knowing we can scheme up those kinds of looks as good as anyone in football.
The last wideout I’ll mention has been mocked to us a bunch, and–when you see his highlight–it’ll be easy to see why. Malachi Corley (Western Kentucky, #56) is the closest thing to Deebo Samuel that you’ll find in this draft. At 5’11” 215 lbs., he looks and runs like a running back, fully earning his “YAC King” nickname.
As the most talented dude on the Western Kentucky offense (by far), Corley mostly played out of the slot and had a high percentage of his targets schemed up for him so that he could get the ball as much as physically possible. Like a HIGH percentage. As in nearly half of his catches occurred BEHIND the line of scrimmage.
Due to that, his route-running needs plenty of work. He’s also had drop issues and–due in part to his average catch radius–hasn’t shown that he can thrive catching in traffic or stretching the field vertically. Is Corley the closest thing to a 1-for-1 Deebo replacement? Yes. And it would be endlessly entertaining to see him deployed in our offense. But it’s worth noting that the last two players drafted as “Deebo Samuel types” were Laviska Shenault and Lynn Bowden Jr. so… replacing Deebo is easier said than done.
Outside of the Top 100, Malik Washington (Virginia, 3rd-4th) is definitely just a slot receiver, but he’s twitchy, tough, forced more missed tackles than any other wideout in FBS, and (unlike the dudes mentioned earlier) is highly likely to be around at the end of the third round. Jermaine Burton’s (Alabama, 3rd-4th) on-field highlights belie his inconsistency and won’t offset his off-the-field lowlights. Pass.
Shot in the Dark: As someone who realizes how entertaining it would be to see him in red and gold, I’m legally required to say Corley, but Polk seems like just as good a fit—if not more so—and is probably getting slept on in this class due to how many “high ceiling” types he’s surrounded by. While perhaps the most exciting of the prospects, Legette is likely in third, with our best chance of landing him likely involving a slide to the third round and daydreams involving him becoming a vertical threat, elite blocker, YAC guy, and the mythical Lisan-al-Jumbo Slot all in one.
I’d be more than happy with any of those three, and if they’re off the board and we’re picking a wideout at the end of the third, I’d likely be cool with Malik Washington as well.
CORNERBACKS
How much do we value the nickel corner position? We certainly know what can happen when play there is poor (Isaiah Oliver) and we’ve gotten a considerable boost when we’ve had a genuine stud at the position (Jimmie Ward, K’Waun Williams). We also just brought in a guy who knows a thing or two about deploying big-time players to the best of their abilities in the slot (Jalen Ramsey, Derwin James) and how that can open things up schematically. But then again we’ve also started some random vets off the street in big-time games (Dre Kirkpatrick, Logan Ryan) and haven’t missed a beat.
Outside corner will ALWAYS be a higher priority, and—if we’re taking a corner on the second day—we’ll likely be looking for someone who can start outside in nickel packages and—potentially—be a full-time starter a year from now. But nickel corners who are versatile and can be plus disruptors rather than just “guys we don’t want getting beat deep and missing tackles” are still a valuable weapon defensively, so they shouldn’t be written off.
At 6’1” 189 lbs. and with long arms, T.J. Tampa (Iowa State, #57) is an outside corner through and through. He’s physical, sees plays develop, breaks hard on the ball, and his length regularly muddies up the catch point. He has press-man potential but is at his best in zone coverage, with his weaknesses (lack of top-end speed and average athleticism) showing up most often in off-man trail technique—where he can give up too much separation down the field. So his strengths fit our scheme and his weaknesses show up most in the coverage we rarely play. As long as he passes our athletic minimums for the position, he feels like a good fit.
Conversely, Mike Sainristil (Michigan, #65)—at 5’9” 182 lbs.—is a nickel through-and-through. While his size will be an issue and will take him off some draft boards, he is massively impressive in basically every other way. Despite not moving over to defense until 2022(!), Sainristil immediately became a full-time starter, team captain, splash play specialist, and first-team All-American by 2023. He’ll give some stuff up against bigger wideouts, and there are some red flags regarding his forced incompletion rates and down-to-down consistency, but his instincts, ball skills, and knack for generating big plays at timely moments are as good as anyone in this draft.
If you’re looking for someone with positional flexibility, Max Melton (Rutgers, #71) has plenty of reps as an outside corner and in the slot and is adept at both press man and off coverage. When playing off zone, he does a good job of seeing routes develop and breaking on them with his plus ball skills (30 pass deflections, 8 picks over his last three years). He also presents immediate special teams value (4 blocked punts). He’s a little tight/linear, could stand to add some play strength, and he was arrested and suspended in 2021 for a paintball incident that led to multiple injuries, so we’d have to do our homework.
There are six corners in the final dozen spots of the consensus Top 100. Andru Phillips (Kentucky, #89) is an inconsistent but ascending corner with a physical presence and some inside-out versatility, but his ball skills leave much to be desired (10 PD, 0 picks in college) and he was charged with robbing a frathouse(!?) two years ago. The charges were later dropped and frat houses are kind of set up to be robbed, but still… it bears investigating. Renardo Green (Florida State, #92) is all over the place on peoples’ big boards but he has enough supporters to land in the consensus top 100. Those supporters all likely saw the excellent work he did against LSU last September. He’s a press-man specialist who gets a bit too grabby and lacks ideal top-end speed or athletic traits but is probably coverage-savvy enough to stick in the NFL for a while.
DJ James (Auburn, #93) has a projectable blend of athleticism but his lack of size and strength may keep him off the field initially and relegate him to long-term nickel work. Similar story for Kris Abrams-Draine (Missouri, #91), whose got great ball skills (three straight years with 10+ PDs) and has both return and gunner value on special teams, but—like James—is thin-framed and plays at under 180 lbs.
If you’re looking for bigger, more developmental guys then Cam Hart (Notre Dame, #98) has the size (6’3” 202 lbs.) and athletic ability that teams covet. He needs to clean up his technique and footwork and doesn’t show elite burst at the break point, but it’s worth wondering if his size and athletic makeup would fit better in a zone scheme like ours versus the man-heavy defense he ran in college. At 6’3 194 lbs., Khyree Jackson (Oregon, #99) is another “looks the part” guy, but he didn’t really play the part until this past season. Jackson was part of the class of 2017 and will be 25(!) by the time he plays in his first NFL game. His story—which includes leaving his JuCo squad as a freshman to go home, bag groceries, and train for NBA 2k tournaments—is fascinating and so is his vast potential, but these types of prospects—who bounce around, sit out of football for a while, and have clear maturity issues that you can only hope are in the rearview—flame out more often than not.
Shot in the Dark: Looooot of character checks are needed for these middle-round corner prospects. The most obvious match—but probably also the most coveted player—is TJ Tampa, who seems to fit our scheme like a glove. I also like Sainristil, but I assume he’s swooped up before our third-round pick, and—despite loving the player—that’s a bit high for a nickel unless our plan is to highlight that position more in our scheme.
In the third round, Abrams-Draine intrigues me—especially if we think he has the frame to gain any weight/strength whatsoever. I could also be convinced to swing on the developmental upside of Cam Hart in hopes that he’s a better fit in our defense than the scheme he ran in college. But I’ll admit that his lack of ball skills scare me and I’d rather take that kind of player on Day 3.
DEFENSIVE TACKLES
I’m gonna split the DL up. The interior guys feel a bit more proven than the edges in this class, and—due to that—the depth through the second day looks quite strong.
While scouts often disagree on prospects, how they disagree on Braden Fiske (Florida State, #43) is quite fascinating. As a sixth-year senior who was productive in his first year in Tallahassee but is still raw in many ways (like hand usage) and has short arms, some believe he’s a low-ceiling player. But as a guy who shows excellent hustle, played only one year of Power 5 ball, and tested out of his mind at the combine, others believe there’s another level to unlock with time and the right position coach. I’d tend to agree with the latter. He could be pretty filthy.
Another high-effort DT with the athletic traits to take another step in the NFL is Kris Jenkins (Michigan, #54), the son of a former Pro Bowl defensive tackle whose professional work ethic and athletic traits earned him the nickname “The Mutant” in Ann Arbor. Despite his great movement skills, they don’t always show up on tape, and his game is currently rooted more in power. He’ll enter the league immediately as a plus run defender and has the versatility to play inside in a one-gap scheme or outside in a two-gap scheme, but he’ll need to develop his hand usage and pass rush plan to hit his ceiling as a pass rusher.
For better or worse, Ruke Orhorhoro’s (Clemson, #63) play-style can be considered messy. His high effort, strong first-step, and impressive athletic traits help him muck up the works along the line of scrimmage, but he rarely beats blockers cleanly and his wins require a considerable amount of effort. The effort is great. The technique and pass rush plan? Not so much. If he can put it all together and stop making every snap a dogfight, he’s got an impressive ceiling as a two-way defender.
The latest pupil from renowned defensive line coach Larry Johnson, Mike Hall (Ohio State, #76) has impressive movement skills, a great first step, and—on a pound-for-pound basis—good strength. His splash plays are impressive and it’s not hard to see how he could translate into a productive NFL pass rusher. You only wish he was a little bit bigger. He’s a bit of a tweener, which could cause issues against the run and be particularly problematic against NFL size. Our scheme is better than most at hiding some of those issues, but if he could get better with his hands and more adept at keeping blockers off him when he doesn’t beat them off the snap, it would go a long way to making him a lineup fixture rather than a rotational pass rusher.
Speaking of tweeners, Brandon Dorlus (Oregon, #82) is a long, smooth athlete with excellent movement skills and good strength, but his size (6’3” 283 lbs.) makes him difficult to place. He could wind up a power end, but does he have the appropriate burst and closing speed? He seems too small to play the three-tech full-time. He might fit best in one of those amorphous front defenses like the Ravens, but the dream (from our perspective) is that he could become an Armstead/Key/Omenihu-like inside-out threat. The tools are there. It would just require a very specific developmental plan.
If you asked two years ago, Maason Smith (LSU, #83) might have been slotted for a top 15 selection. But following the former five-star recruit’s Freshman All-American season, he tore his ACL ten snaps into the first game of his sophomore year and spent the majority of his junior season working back to full strength. His size is excellent and he’s got a great first step, but he’s obviously a developmental project—albeit one with an impressive ceiling.
Finally, I’ll mention T’Vondre Sweat (Texas, #47)—the only guy on this list I do NOT want the Niners to draft on Day 2. I don’t know what the hit rate is for overweight defensive tackles with maturity issues who only put it together right before they can score an NFL payday, but it ain’t good. And it’s much harder to convince yourself that something clicked and he “finally figured it out” given he just got a DWI last week. Hard pass.
Shot in the Dark: I am much more excited about this position group after completing their write-ups. Fiske seems like the best value in the second round, but I wouldn’t be against Orhorhoro either. At the bottom of the third, Mike Hall seems like a nice scheme fit, and a flier on Maason Smith is quite intriguing considering we’ve got one of the top DL coaches in the world and we don’t need a DT to play meaningful snaps this year. Realistically, I would be happy with any of these guys other than Sweat.
DEFENSIVE ENDS
I wouldn’t consider the defensive end crop to be nearly as deep as the defensive tackles, either in this round or in the draft as a whole, but the position group still presents plenty of intrigue and some high-upside talent.
Tasked with the unenviable position of replacing Will Anderson, Chris Braswell (Alabama, #51)—in his first season as a starter—led the SEC in pressures (56) and is only scratching the surface of his potential. A former five-star prospect, Braswell can squat upwards of 700 pounds and has been clocked at running 21.9 miles per hour, so… yeah. He’s an athlete. He’s got a great first step, can convert speed into power, and is a rugged, high-effort player. But his size (6’3” 251 lbs.) is a concern—particularly against the run—and needs to find more ways to string together rush moves to win when he can’t blow by people. There’s a world where he’s better as a stand-up edge in a 3-4 scheme, but it’s not hard to picture him slotting immediately into our Turbo sets.
Going from a former top twenty player to a guy who was ranked 3,427th nationally out of high school, Marshawn Kneeland (Western Michigan, #59) is a small-school end whose college production doesn’t jump off the stat sheet (28 TFLs, 13 sacks over four years). But the scouting community is high on him because he’s got good size and athleticism and his tape looks much better than his numbers. There’s projection and development needed, but most signs point to a late bloomer whose best football is ahead of him.
Bralen Trice (Washington, #60) was the tone-setter for the Huskies’ defense this year and he was all over the place on film, leading his team in sacks and being named the CFP Semifinal defensive MVP. A team captain who brings a physical presence, a non-stop motor, and refined hand usage, you’d think he’d be higher on lists, but there are genuine concerns about his lack of burst, length, and fluidity capping his potential in the league. It wouldn’t be surprising to see him become either a try-hard rotational rusher or a dude who vastly outplays his draft position.
The last three guys are on the smaller side. Both Adisa Isaac (Penn State, #64) and Jonah Elliss (Utah, #77) are high-effort outside rushers with good first steps and the potential to develop into productive pass rushers, but both are undersized, are good—not great—athletes, and may be better suited for stand-up 3-4 duties. Look, we played Dee Ford on the edge, so the wide 9 can absolutely find snaps for a smaller dude if he’s fast and slippery enough. But guys of that size always have a lower floor because they run the risk of being relegated to subpackage rushers if they can’t outplay their size.
Finally, Austin Booker (Kansas, #85) is also in the ~240 range, but—unlike the guys just mentioned—he’s got the length and frame to add considerably more weight. Also unlike the guys just mentioned, he’s only played 505 career(!) snaps of college football. He sat on the bench in Minnesota for two years before transferring to Kansas and leading the team in sacks… off the bench. His sample size is insanely thin and truly alarming, and you have to wonder how in the hell a guy like this couldn’t have seen the field in Minnesota. But you rarely see that type of length with those type of movement skills and the ceiling is quite high.
Shot in the Dark: I have faith in Coach Kocurek, so I rarely question our defensive line picks, and—unless there’s a true pass rush technician on the board—I often lean towards swinging for traits and character on the edges and hope the rest comes together. Plus, while 2025 could be a different story, none of these guys will be asked to start this season. At best, they’ll be our first end off the bench in Bravo sets. So we’ve got a year to develop a guy if need be.
EVERYONE ELSE
Round 2 seems pretty high for a safety given our roster, scheme, and team-building approach. Honestly—given our current depth chart and the veteran safeties available—so does round 3. But there will likely be some options. Both Cole Bishop (Utah, #86) and Jaden Hicks (Washington State, #68) are physical, scheme-versatile types. Tyler Nubin (#45) was a four-year starter with good coverage range and impressive ball production (24 PDs, school-record 13 career INTs). Whereas Javon Bullard (Georgia, #55) could be more of a slot/star/nickel type. Again, I doubt we’re interested in any of them unless they fall to the bottom of the third (or lower).
Tight end is another position we’re clearly interested in and one that’s been floated as a possibility on the back end of the second day. There is an absolute talent chasm at the position after Brock Bowers, but a cluster of options late on day 2/early on day 3.
Ja’Tavion Sanders (Texas, #50) is the best of the non-Bowers bunch, almost entirely for his receiving ability. He’s an excellent athlete, is silky smooth, shows great burst, and has good top-end speed. He’s undersized, is a meh blocker, and will need to improve his route running beyond spamming seams and RPOs, but the physical tools, adjustment ability, and reliable hands (only player in FBS with 45+ catches and 0 drops) make for a prospect with genuinely impressive potential in the passing game.
Potential and upside are also the primary pitching points for Theo Johnson (Penn State, 3rd round), whose size and testing numbers would indicate he’ll immediately be one of the most athletic tight ends in all of football. I know he’s green and is just scratching the surface of his potential, but I just don’t see the athleticism on tape. Maybe it comes with time, comfort, and confidence. But that’s a gamble.
Jared Wiley (TCU, 3rd round) isn’t nearly the athlete Johnson or Sanders are, but he’s got great size, a frame to hold more weight, and the wingspan, adjustment ability, and hands to excel as a post-up man and redzone threat. Now, does he have the burst to get himself free on anything underneath? TBD. But if you’re looking for a dude who could grow into a solid blocker and still threaten teams on seams, posts, and corners once in a while, Wiley can do that with his size—even if his athleticism and separation ability are lacking.
Another reliable—albeit unspectacular—option around the end of day 2 could be Cade Stover (Ohio State, 3rd-4th round). The former linebacker catches everything smoothly and is adept at getting open on underneath routes, but he won’t wow anyone with his explosiveness as a receiver or ability as an in-line blocker. There are two more tight ends who have been often linked to the Niners but they're cuspy here so I’ll leave them for the Day 3 write-up.
Finally, with Dre Greenlaw in rehab and entering the final year of his contract, it’s worth noting a few linebackers. Junior Colson (Michigan, #48) is a rangy, physical, tackling machine with plus athleticism who continues to make strides in coverage. His ball production and turnover-generation are lacking but he’s a rock-solid, high-upside type.
Edgerrin Cooper (Texas A&M, #39) is another speedy guy with coverage ability. He has more splash plays than Colson, racking up 8 sacks last year and leading the SEC in tackles for loss (17.0), but also has more whiffs and overruns. Given the pass rush numbers I would assume he finds his way to a 3-4 team that utilizes heavy blitzing or sim pressures.
Last but not least, Payton Wilson (NC State, #42) has truly impressive athletic traits (4.43 forty) and big-play production (15 career sacks, 20 pass deflections, 7 interceptions), garnering more than a few Leighton Van Der Esch comps. Unfortunately, Wilson’s lengthy injury history and lack of size make that comp accurate in more ways than one.
Shot in the Dark: Drafting any of these positions isn’t likely until—at the earliest—our pick at the bottom of the third round. At that point, I’d guess tight end becomes the most probable, and when we draft tight ends we typically look more for traits than immediate pro-readiness. There’s some data to back that up.
I like Sanders a lot, but he will almost certainly be off the board at this point, which seems to point to someone like Theo Johnson, who… I don’t love. At that point, I’d rather take a dude in the rounds that follow or one of the safeties—who all seem like future starters. My guess is none of these positions get picked until Day 3.
TLDR
Right tackle continues to be the position of choice in the first round, and we’re all but certain to address the OL somewhere in the first two days. That would leave two other picks, which—if I had to guess—I’d say would go to DT and WR due to the depth at the two positions. Depending on how the draft shakes out, DE is always a possibility instead of DT. Drafting either would be operating with an eye toward the future. The recent signing of Rock Ya-Sin seems to signal that drafting a cornerback in the first two days is less likely than it was a week ago unless someone falls into our lap. Similar to corner, safety and tight end are highly likely selections during this draft, but my best guess would be they’re all addressed on day 3.
If we can exit the first two days of the draft with a new starter along the offensive line, a high-potential defensive lineman with immediate subpackage ability, and a scheme-fit wideout who we can imagine starting a year from now, we should be ecstatic.
Go Niners 🏈👍