Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis will buzz with coaches and scouts meticulously evaluating college prospects at the annual scouting combine starting next week.

The beauty of the combine is players show up as equals, unlike the Senior Bowl where players wear their respective college helmets. Competition is at the highest point of the pre-draft process, with each missed throw, dropped pass or slip-up potentially costing players money on draft night.

The 49ers’ first pick will come ninth or 10th, determined by a coin flip with the Raiders, arguably the most-important aspect of the entire event for the team.

We’ll publish multiple mocks throughout draft season, working to identify needs as they change throughout the process to approach the draft from multiple angles. While mock drafts ignore the human element to 32 general managers making decisions under pressure, it’s important to examine the various ways the 49ers can approach their options.

Our Mock 3.0 has the 49ers going defense early before addressing offensive needs with depth talent later.

Round 1 (pick 9) | Roquan Smith | LB | Georgia

Until Virginia Tech’s Tremaine Edmunds declared, Smith was the unquestioned top linebacker in the draft. He should still be. Smith doesn’t have the positional versatility of Edmunds but there are few players that have the speed and range that Smith showed at Georgia.

(Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)

He has no problem running sideline-to-sideline with anyone in the league and brings tremendous power into contact. The 49ers are facing difficult territory with Reuben Foster following his two arrests this offseason and could look to add another top-tier talent at linebacker as both a running mate and insurance. Foster could be facing a lengthy suspension and the team lacks reliable depth at the position.