There aren’t a lot of wrong directions the 49ers can go in this year’s draft. They have a handful of needs, but no spots where they absolutely need to select a starter. Prioritizing their needs by position yields a slew of different results. It’s clear they simply need to find quality players who can help fill out the roster in the coming years as their highest-priced players push out some other talent.
A seven-round mock draft from ESPN’s Jordan Reid charts a good path for San Francisco’s nine picks. They hit a few of their ‘top’ needs early, but there’s a distinct eye toward the future with the choices which will be a key aspect of this year’s draft.
There are a few notes before we dive into the picks.
First, the 49ers could and probably should go with an edge rusher earlier than they do in Reid’s mock. It’s supposed to be a deep class, but San Francisco could find a significant difference-maker if they go with a defensive end with one of their first couple…