If the 49ers get Earl Thomas in free agency, I can see this happening.
Don’t worry folks, the NFL Combine is one week away. Once over, our predictable NFL mock drafts will remain predictable, but we’ll feel a lot better about the 49ers picks as we can argue vertical jump numbers and the like.
This two round mock draft from NFL Draft Scout’s Ric Serritella isn’t going to be reinventing the draft wheel in the first round, but the second round has an intriguing prospect. The first round is what you’ve seen before. The Arizona Cardinals walk away with Ohio State defensive end Nick Bosa, the 49ers get Kentucky lienbacker Josh Allen. Here’s what was Serritella has to say about the pick:
By adding Allen to a beefy defensive front line in San Francisco, it would allow him to see some one-on-ones he can take advantage of as an outside pass-rush presence.
I still think this is backwards. Allen functions better for the Cardinals’ 3-4 and Bosa on the 49ers’ 4-3. Cardinals defensive coordinator Vance Joseph has said otherwise. That said, I once again want to beat the hammer that the 49ers are not “settling” for Allen. It’s not like there’s a huge drop-off between him and Bosa. Allen has a chance to be a star in the NFL, Bosa is just the better prospect. While Allen is better suited for a 3-4, that versatility is helpful in any defense as teams run their base packages a certain percentage of the time. Having a pass-rusher that could drop into coverage for confusion (and stay on the field in two-minute drills) has its own benefits.
It’s the second round that intrigues me. Serritella has the 49ers taking South Carolina wide receiver Deebo Samuel:
Sharp route running and dependable hands would be a great asset for Jimmy Garoppolo; more ammunition needed by the Bay.
Mississippi State safety Johnathan Abram went the pick before to the Oakland Raiders. That would have been my choice for the 49ers, but if he’s gone, Samuel is a very nice addition.
Two things would need to happen for the 49ers to burn a second rounder on another wide receiver: they would have to miss out on the Antonio Brown sweepstakes and they would also nab a free safety (probably Earl Thomas) in free agency leaving no need for a safety in the draft. They need secondary help. In fact, beyond a guard/swing tackle prospect, I wouldn’t be broken-hearted to see an all-defense draft.
If those two criteria are met, I do see a Samuel pick as a possibility. I loved watching him in the Senior Bowl. My only issue with Samuel is his size. He’s 5 feet, 11 inches and 215 pounds. Of course the easy argument is Pierre Garçon, whom the 49ers are reported to not be picking the 2019 option up on. Garçon is just one inch taller and four pounds lighter per Pro Football Reference measurements, and he was a beast on the field in his heyday. Maybe I’m looking too hard into this.
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