The 49ers wrapped up the 2019 NFL draft on Saturday with eight picks. We went through and gave an initial grade for each pick, and an overall grade for the whole draft.
Round 1, Pick 2: Nick Bosa, DE, Ohio State
This was the no-brainer choice of the draft. The 49ers had the top player on their board at their biggest position of need drop to them. All they had to do was not get fancy. Bosa figures to be a Day 1 starter and a three-down difference maker on the 49ers’ defensive front. They needed help rushing the passer off the edge to go along with the newly-acquired Dee Ford, and Bosa provides it better than anyone else in the 2019 draft class.
Grade: A
Round 2, Pick 36: Deebo Samuel, WR, South Carolina
There might’ve been better receivers on the board when the 49ers picked in the second round, and that’s the only thing adversely impacting the grade. Samuel checks off a ton of boxes in terms of what the 49ers’ receiving corps needed. He’ll be a fine replacement for Pierre Garçon as a possession receiver who’s at his best with the ball in his hands. Quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo will also be able to find Samuel in the red zone thanks to his ability to shake free from coverage in tight spaces.
Grade: A-
Round 3, Pick 67: Jalen Hurd, WR, Baylor
This was the 49ers’ first ‘reach’ of the draft. The good news is Hurd has all the talent to make this look like a steal over the next couple of seasons. Hurd played running back for three years at Tennessee before transferring to Baylor where he played receiver for only one year. In that year, he put up 69 receptions, 946 yards and four touchdowns. That’s incredible production for a player brand new to the position. Multiple years of those numbers gets this pick a higher grade, but Hurd’s bust potential is just too high with his inexperience. However, his star potential is extremely high too, and he should find snaps right away just on physical talent and versatility alone.
Grade: C+
Round 4, Pick 110: Mitch Wishnowsky, P, Utah
This initially got a pretty bad grade, but after thinking about it some more, take the positional value out of the equation and the 49ers got a high quality fourth-round pick.
They needed a starting punter. They got one.
They needed a kickoff specialist. They got one.
They needed a good punter. They got arguably the best in the draft.
General manager John Lynch and head coach Kyle Shanahan prioritized a quality starter and immediate contributor over taking a defensive back who may not even play this year. On the other hand, a punter’s value is pretty limited, whereas an offensive lineman or defensive back could develop into an impact player on offense or defense. The pick still isn’t going to make the 49ers Super Bowl contenders, but they filled a need with a Day 1 starter.
Grade: C
Round 5, Pick 148: Dre Greenlaw, LB, Arkansas
It’s hard to project exactly when or how Greenlaw finds a spot on the 49ers’ defense. He fits the athletic profile of a weakside linebacker, but he doesn’t bring a skill set that allows him to stop the run and stay on the field for all three downs. With Kwon Alexander and Elijah Lee presumably ahead of him, Greenlaw is a special teams contributor who may carve out a job in specific defensive units as an additional player coverage.
Grade: D
Round 6, Pick 176: Kaden Smith, TE, Stanford
Tight end was an under-the-radar need for the 49ers due in part to George Kittle’s monster year last year. However, having multiple tight ends who can both block and catch passes allows Shanahan to be unpredictable with his formations and play calls. Smith should seamlessly slide into a role similar to Garrett Celek’s. Celek is 30 and in the final year of his contract. However, Smith might wind up being a more effective receiver than the veteran. Finding a player like Smith who can make an immediate impact is a fine get for San Francisco in Round 6.
Grade: B+
Round 6, Pick 183: Justin Skule, OT, Vanderbilt
The 49ers elected to wait until late in the draft to add some tackle depth. Skule comes with good size at 6-7, 317 pounds and a ton of experience with over 40 college games played. He’ll get an opportunity to compete for a swing tackle spot right away. If Skule develops, he’s a steal. If he doesn’t, it’s a burned sixth-round pick which the 49ers can live with.
Grade: C-
Round 6, Pick 198: Tim Harris, CB, Virginia
Harris spent six years in college as injuries limited him to just 35 games across six seasons. He finally put it all together with 11 games in his final year. He has ideal size for San Francisco at 6-1, 197 pounds, and ran in the high 4.3s and low 4.4s in the 40 at his combine. That size and speed is very promising. The 49ers didn’t place a premium on defensive backs in this draft, so a late-round pick who can compete for a roster spot makes sense. This is a good low-risk, high-reward selection.
Grade: B-
Overall grade
The 49ers had a very strong start when they got the best player available with the No. 2 overall pick, Ohio State defensive end Nick Bosa. Then they addressed their wide receiver need with a pair of pass catchers in Deebo Samuel and Jalen Hurd. Starting with Hurd it felt like San Francisco did some reaching with a punter in the fourth and special teams linebacker in the fifth. The Kaden Smith pick should pay early dividends, but ultimately the 49ers are going to lean on the talent they have. That talent has amassed to just 10 wins in the last two years, so the hope is they’ll see a significant jump. They had chances in this year’s draft to add quality players at some of the positions that underperformed last year, and they passed in favor of depth. Perhaps it all works out, but for now it’s a pretty big gamble.
Grade: C+
