Apr 23, 2024, 4:44 p.m. ET
San Francisco has 10 picks in the draft, giving John Lynch and Kyle Shanahan plenty of ammunition to trade, if they so choose.
SANTA CLARA — With 10 teams heading into the 2024 NFL Draftlos San Francisco 49ers They are well positioned to recharge a squad in need of reinforcements in the short and long term.
“I think it’s really important to have a good portion of your roster be young and incorporate some of that into our team, whether it helps immediately or is something down the road,” the general manager described. John Lynch during meetings of the owners of the NFL in March.
For the first time in three years, the San Francisco 49ers arrive at an NFL draft with a first-round pick. Scott Winters/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
After being left without a first-round pick the last couple of seasons, the Niners They will be back on Thursday night with the 31st overall pick. San Francisco It also boasts five more selections within the first 135. Lynch He noted on Monday that San Francisco He has 22 players with first-round grades, somewhat higher than usual, but he also noted that the final part of the draft could be weaker because the team had 83 prospects with draftable grades, who preferred to return to school.
That means that the Niners They have enough ammunition to negotiate, and therefore a small jump in the order of selections like the one that paid off at wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk in 2020 it should not be ruled out. It also means that, if none of those 22 manage to reach their promotion range, they could be on the market bidding for their turn to move down the order and add selections, either to put together a package that helps maximize the number of opportunities they will have in the first four rounds, or add future picks for what is expected to be a deeper crop next year.
In his ideal world, such a player would be one of the best offensive linemen, cornerbacks or wide receivers available. Those roster spots might need help in 2024, but even more help in 2025 and beyond.
The offensive line could offer the right combination of need and value for the 49ers early in the draft. Although they return their starting five from last year, they could benefit from some competition at all positions.
“We decided to retain our group,” said the head coach. Kyle Shanahan. “And we hope to always be looking to add depth and improve via draft and things like that, add more competition here, but we have been very happy with our group.”
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The good news about this draft is that it appears to be very rich in talented offensive line prospects. In analyst of NFL Draft para ESPNJordan Reid commented that “a strong argument” can be made that offensive tackle is the strongest positional group this year. He has considered tackles as potential first-round picks, which would tie the mark set in 2008.
Tyler Guyton of Oklahoma, Jordan Morgan of Arizona y Kingsley Suamatia of BYU could realistically be available to Niners towards the end of the first round. Graham Barton of Dukewho could move to the center position in a NFL, could be a possibility if they look to move up in the order of selections. A first-round tackle would have to compete for the starting job. Colton McKivitz on the right side, or in the case of someone like Morganpotentially settling in as a guard before moving to the outside.
According Reid, there is a slight drop in level in the tackle class, after the first seven or eight players, all of them anticipating being chosen within the first four shifts. The tackle of Washington, Roger Rosengartenis another alternative, although he could be part of a scenario to descend in the order of selections.
The recruiting history of Lynch y Shanahan indicates that investing a high pick in an offensive lineman is not a sure thing. The 49ers They have paid only two picks from the first three rounds (OT Mike McGlinchey2018; G Aaron Banks2021) in offensive linemen since Shanahan y Lynch They arrived in 2017.
“The interesting thing with these linemen is the draft, we think that many of them have the flexibility to be tackles and/or guards,” he mentioned. Lynch this Monday. “I think there are some options and part of the draft is that it’s not always about this, you don’t always recruit for immediacy. Sometimes, it’s about recruiting for future needs. So we have to be aware of that.”
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The other position that is more or less an urgent need is cornerback, another position in which 49ers They haven’t invested much draft capital. Headlines Charvarius Ward, Ambry Thomas y Deommodore Lenoir They are scheduled to become free agents at the end of the 2024 campaign.
but the Niners They haven’t used a first-round pick on a cornerback since 2002, when they took Mike Rumph with the 27th overall shift. However, they have taken at least one cornerback in every draft of the era Shanahan/Lynchexcept for 2020, and there is still hope that young players like Darrell Luter Jr. y Samuel Womack can grow their roles.
At a minimum, the Niners They need to add a cornerback for the slot or a perimeter option good enough to allow Black move inside.
“We have guys that we keep trying to train here that are on the team, I loved bringing [al fichaje de agencia libre] Isaac [Yiadom] to allow for the possibility that Demo stay inside and go outside,” he described Shanahan. “I think that our young people and Amber y Sammy “They improved a lot last year, and I also think we have enough picks in the draft to add people.”
In a break from most drafts, Reid He doesn’t see cornerbacks who look like safe recruits for the Top-10, but he does consider that several will be chosen within the 15-25 range. That could allow a talented perimeter cornerback like Kool-Aid McKinstry of Alabama o Cooper DeJean of Iowaslip through the cracks to land at site No. 31. The most likely scenario could be that the 49ers Take advantage of an “exceptional” crop of cornerbacks in the slot for the second day. Mike Sainristil of Michigan y Andru Phillips of Kentucky top that list, and have received interest from San Francisco.
Outside of offensive line and cornerback, the Niners They have the benefit of looking ahead at other positions — such as wide receiver and defensive line — where there will be a sense of urgency starting even next offseason.
At the wide receiver position, Jauan Jennings in Aiyuk are under contract beyond next season, and the Niners they have an exit from the contract Deebo Samuel if the price is no longer digestible. That doesn’t even take into account the need to find return help, which opens up the possibility even more for a receiver at the top of the draft.
Reid has five receivers among his top 32 players, and projects an incredible 13 total with second-day grades, giving the Niners plenty of options. Ladd McConkey of Georgia y Xavier Worthy of Texas could be in play towards the end of the first round, and Reid considers Malachi Corley of Western Kentucky, Jermaine Burton of Alabama y Javon Baker of Central Florida as possibilities for the second day.
As always, the defensive linemen are in play for the 49ers at the beginning of the draft. In a year in which quarterbacks, receivers and offensive linemen expect to be drafted in high numbers from the start, there is a chance that a defensive player will appear at the top of the draft evaluation chart. 49ers when your turn comes. wings like Chop Robinson of Penn State o Darius Robinson of Missourior a tackle como Jer’Zhan Newtoncould be options.
In one way or another, the 49ers They are happy to be back in the first round, and are aware that a loaded roster at the top needs a significant injection of young talent.
“We are anxious about so many selections,” he admitted. Lynch during owners’ meetings. “Now, do you do them all? Do you move? That’s always subject to what we choose to do on the weekend, but having so many selections, we have to make them count.”
2024-04-23 20:44:00
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