The 2020 NFL draft seems eons away for the 49ers. They’re in the thick of the playoff hunt and have established themselves as bona fide Super Bowl contenders. However, the franchise’s history has been defined by its dynasty that ran through the 80s and 90s. Part of sustaining championship contenders is drafting capable players, so it’s never too early to look at how the 49ers might continue competing for championships.
Luke Easterling of the Draft Wire authored a three-round mock draft where the 49ers made a curious pick with their first-round pick. That’s their only selection in the first three rounds after sending their second-round pick to Kansas City for Dee Ford, and including their third-round pick in the deal to acquire Emmanuel Sanders.
In the three-round mock, San Francisco takes Clemson running back Travis Etienne with the No. 30 overall pick. From Easterling:
This just seems unfair. Matt Breida and Tevin Coleman are a fantastic 1-2 punch in this backfield, but their contracts are expiring soon. Etienne’s explosiveness and three-down skill set would be the perfect match with a creative offensive coach like Kyle Shanahan.
This would certainly be a head-scratching decision for the 49ers considering the production Shanahan has gotten out of undrafted running backs. Breida, Raheem Mostert and Jeff Wilson Jr. were undrafted. Coleman was a third-round pick.
San Francisco will have some decisions to make at running back. Jerick McKinnon tore his ACL prior to his first season with the club in 2018, then re-aggravated that
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