The 49ers are coming out of their Week 11 bye week at 2-8. They’re one of three two-win teams left, and they’d have the No. 1 overall pick if the season ended after Week 11.
It’s never too early to look toward the draft. Right now it might actually be the preferred method of football consumption for 49ers fans.
To get a first look at who the 49ers might be targeting in next year’s draft, we got in touch with Luke Easterling of Draft Wire to get some insight on some early names 49ers fans should keep an eye on as the college season winds down and the draft process heats up.
Niners Wire: So the 49ers just lost to the Giants to fall to 2-8. It’s time to really start focusing on the draft for 49ers fans, especially with college football winding down and the talent in this draft class starts to take shape. I’m of the mind that the EDGE, WR, EDGE, EDGE, S, CB, and maybe EDGE again are the 49ers’ top needs. Do you have any disagreements there?
Draft Wire: Definitely hard to disagree with that list. Thankfully for Niners fans, this year’s EDGE class looks pretty strong at this point. The draft should be stronger in terms of interior DL talent, but that depth could end up driving some solid EDGE prospects down the board, leaving them some attractive options at the top of the second round. Along those same lines, WR is another deep group in this year’s class, despite not having a true blue-chipper worthy of top-10 consideration (in my opinion). If the 49ers get a top pass rusher at the top of the draft, there should be plenty of talent at receiver available early on Day 2. The secondary should definitely be a primary focus as early as possible, as well.
NW: Well that’s the best possible news for San Francisco. Let’s start with that strong EDGE class. We’ve talked about Nick Bosa and Clelin Ferrell on Niners Wire. Are those the only guys you see worth taking if the 49ers pick in the top three? Or are there other first-round talents who could rise into top-three or five consideration?
DW: Those are the only two guys I see sticking around in that range. However, if the 49ers ended up trading back into the latter part of the top 10-15 picks, there are a handful of names that could make sense in that range: Kentucky’s Josh Allen, Florida’s Jachai Polite, Florida State’s Brian Burns and Mississippi State’s Montez Sweat.
NW: Sticking real quick with the EDGE class before we move on – are there any in particular that stand out as athletes who can also be effective in coverage? The 49ers require quite a bit of coverage from their edge players.
DW: Allen, Sweat and Burns all have the athleticism and versatility to make plays in coverage, in addition to getting after the passer.
NW: Let’s stay on the defensive side real quick. The 49ers’ need in the secondary will depend largely on how some of their young players finish the year. Is this a cornerback class where the 49ers can find a quality player on Day 2?
DW: I like the top of this corner class quite a bit (LSU’s Greedy Williams, Georgia’s Deandre Baker), but there should be plenty of starting-caliber players still on the board when Day 2 kicks off. Texas’ Kris Boyd, Notre Dame’s Julian Love and Virginia’s Bryce Hall are all worth watching in that range.
NW: DK Metcalf out of Ole MissLet’s jump over to the other side of the ball real quick then. San Francisco needs a No. 1 wide receiver. was a name mocked to them in the latest Draft Wire mock. Is he the only early Round 2 prospect you see at receiver or is there some depth to this WR class?
DW: Metcalf is promising, but he’s also a sophomore coming off a season-ending neck injury, so he’s not exactly a lock to declare for this draft. Guys that make sense in that range: Iowa State’s Hakeem Butler and North Carolina State’s Kelvin Harmon, both of whom are big, athletic targets who can dominate in the red zone.
NW: Excellent. We’ll keep those names in kind and make sure to touch base with you again prior to the draft.
Make sure to check out draftwire.com throughout the year for mock drafts, rankings, interviews with prospects and updates on draft picks throughout their rookie seasons.
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