As the NFL draft nears, the sun sets on mock draft season. On Wednesday we put together a final seven-round mock using the Pro Football Focus mock draft simulator. Our mock includes two trades down, one trade up, and attempts to touch all the 49ers’ immediate and long-term needs.
Here’s how it went:
Trade back with Falcons
49ers get: Nos. 16 and 47
Falcons get: No. 13
This is the kind of move the 49ers would love to make in the first round depending on what the board looks like. There weren’t any surprises in the first 12 selections, and no prospects were available that carried more value than the trade. San Francisco moved back three spots to scoop up a mid-second-round selections.
Updated 49ers picks: 16, 31, 47, 156, 176, 210, 217, 245
Round 1, Pick 16 | DL Javon Kinlaw, South Carolina
This is pretty good value for a team that needs help on the defensive front. While another defensive lineman may not be very exciting, that group spearheaded the team’s run to a Super Bowl last season. Trading DeForest Buckner vacated a spot on that defensive front, and Kinlaw won’t be as productive as Buckner right away, but he’s on a rookie contract and has all the upside to be just as good or better.
Trade back with Texans
49ers get: Nos. 40 and 90
Texans get: No. 31
The move back from 13 may be enough that the 49ers feel confident using the 31st pick. Scoring second and third-round picks to move back nine places is a nice haul though, and gives San Francisco good late-round ammo to move around the board. The players available at 31 weren’t enticing enough to outweigh the value of moving back, so another trade was executed.
Updated 49ers picks: 40, 47, 90, 156, 176, 210, 217, 245
Round 2, Pick 40 | DB Antoine Winfield Jr., Minnesota
While the 49ers don’t fill an immediate need by taking Winfield, they cover their bases in the back end of their secondary long-term. What Winfield lacks in size (5-9, 203 pounds) he makes up for with a ton of instincts and aggressiveness. He can act as a chess piece for defensive coordinator Robert Saleh at either safety spot and cover in the slot. Winfield may not see the field as a starter in Year 1, but he’s a good football player, and adding good football players is the goal of the draft.
Round 2, Pick 47 | WR Michael Pittman Jr., USC
There’s a chance the 49ers tab a receiver earlier than the 47th pick, but finding Pittman at this spot in the draft gives San Francisco a chance to find gold in Round 2 for the second consecutive year. At 6-4, 223 pounds, Pittman brings more size than any receiver on the 49ers’ roster. He’s more than just a big target though. He can run all the routes, has strong hands, and does an excellent job of using his body to wall off defensive backs. The only thing really missing from his game is top-end speed. Pittman has all the tools to be the best receiver in this class and is a perfect complement to last year’s second-round pick Deebo Samuel.
Round 3, Pick 90 | TE Harrison Bryant, Florida Atlantic
Perhaps San Francisco waits longer to find a backup for George Kittle, but Lance Zierlein of NFL.com has Kittle as Bryant’s pro comp, so scooping him late in the third round makes sense. He’s 6-5, 243 pounds, a willing blocker, and a tremendous athlete. His athleticism allows him to be used all over the field. What separates him from Kittle is his college production. Over his final three seasons, Bryant caught 142 passes for 2,074 yards and 16 touchdowns. He may never be an All-Pro, but Kittle-light on the same field as Kittle sounds like a nightmare for defenses.
Trade up with Raiders
49ers get: No. 121
Raiders get: Nos. 156, 210, 245
Despite all the moves, the 49ers were due to go from No. 90 to No. 156 without any selections. A quick trade up with the Oakland Raiders changed that. Getting into the middle of the fourth round cost the first of the 49ers’ pair of fifth-round picks, their sixth, and the second of their two sevenths. Given that quality means more than quantity for San Francisco, this was an easy jump to make.
Updated 49ers picks: 121, 176, 217
Round 4, Pick 121 | RB Antonio Gibson, Memphis
Gibson is listed as a running back, but he was a do-everything weapon for the Tigers last season. His long-term position in the NFL is probably running back given his 6-0, 228-pound build. He’s a tremendous athlete though who racked up 735 rushing yards on 38 carries last season, and 369 receiving yards on 33 receptions. Gibson isn’t a running back who catches passes. He’s a legitimate threat as a receiver lined up outside. He got 77 offensive touches in Division-I, and turned them into 14 touchdowns while averaging 15.6 yards per touch. He also offers value as a kick returner. Gibson needs to go to the right offense to succeed, and the 49ers are that offense.
Round 5, Pick 176 | CB Lamar Jackson, Nebraska
Lamar Jackson the cornerback isn’t quite as talented as Lamar Jackson the quarterback. However, the defensive Jackson’s size makes him an easy late-round pickup for the 49ers. He measured in at 6-2, 205 pounds with 32 1/4-inch arms. That puts checks in all the boxes of the physical profile for an ideal cornerback in the 49ers’ defense. Jackson isn’t a particularly explosive athlete, but playing in a zone-heavy scheme like San Francisco’s should help mitigate some of those concerns about his athleticism. Jackson probably won’t be ready to start right away, but he has all the tools to be in the mix early in his career.
Round 7, Pick 217 | OT Charlie Heck, North Carolina
There’s a chance the 49ers address the offensive line and prepare for life without Joe Staley earlier in the draft than later, but getting Heck with the final selection isn’t bad. He’d have a legitimate shot to make the roster as a swing tackle thanks to his massive frame (6-8, 311 pounds) and athleticism. He moves like a much smaller man, which puts him ahead of the curve on finding a home in the 49ers’ offense. Heck has starting experience at both tackle spots, and could develop into a starting caliber tackle with a year of NFL coaching and strength training.
