The 49ers can’t afford to swing and miss in the 2019 NFL draft. Another losing season where the team appears to move laterally would be tough to swallow in Year 3 of the Kyle Shanahan-John Lynch era.
Acquiring pass rusher Dee Ford in a trade with the Chiefs afforded the 49ers a little flexibility in the draft. Lynch and Shanahan have both talked about how they can focus on taking the best player instead of simply trying to find an edge rusher to fill the biggest hole on their roster.
What they can’t do is use their first-round pick on a player who won’t have a significant impact right away. Here are four players San Francisco should avoid with the No. 2 pick, or if they trade back.
WR DK Metcalf, Ole Miss
Despite an otherworldly combination of size and athleticism, Metcalf may need some time to develop into a complete receiver. Wideouts with below-average lateral quickness who run limited route trees don’t have a ton of use in Shanahan’s offense. Metcalf is exceptionally gifted and might have the highest upside of any receiver in the draft. However, it’s easy to see how he might struggle to produce as a rookie in Shanahan’s offense, and using a top pick on a receiver doesn’t help a still questionable 49ers defense.
DL Quinnen Williams, Alabama
Some draft analysts have Williams at the top of their board. Luke Easterling at Draft Wire has him No. 2. The issue with Williams and the 49ers is the position he’d play and the impact he’d be able to make. San Francisco has a stout interior pass rush thanks to DeForest Buckner, and Williams would be stuck at nose tackle in base defenses. His maximum effectiveness would come as a sub-package defensive tackle, but it’s hard to imagine an interior defensive lineman having the same impact a top-end edge player would have right away. Snagging Williams at No. 2 wouldn’t be a disaster for the 49ers. It would be a head scratcher in terms of their evaluation of needs and the future of the defensive line.
DL Rashan Gary, Michigan
Gary’s size and athleticism alone make him an exceptionally intriguing prospect. He played defensive end at Michigan, and if he was a pure edge prospect with big-time pass rushing production, he’d probably be a top-five pick. He wasn’t great as a pass rusher for the Wolverines though with just 9.5 sacks in three seasons. Chances are Gary fits best as a 3-Technique in the 49ers’ defense, which is occupied by Buckner. Trying to squeeze an interior lineman on the edge is how a team winds up with Solomon Thomas, and having another player like that to fit into the rotation doesn’t help San Francisco very much.
WR Marquise Brown, Oklahoma
Brown isn’t in danger of going No. 2 overall. He’s not even in danger of being a 49ers target in a first-round trade back. There’s a chance San Francisco trades back up into the bottom of the first round though to target a receiver. He measured at the combine at just 5-9, 166 pounds, but he didn’t work out because of surgery on his foot. Durability is a huge concern for Brown who brings a ton of speed and home run explosiveness with the ball in his hands. However, the 49ers have playmakers like Brown already who aren’t so small. They need a difference maker on the perimeter, and Brown likely won’t be that in the NFL.
