Larry Krueger and Kevin Jones are back taking their best stabs at who GM John Lynch and Kyle Shanahan will take in the 2017 NFL Draft
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Larry Krueger’s Picks
Trade back to No. 6: Leonard Fournette (RB, LSU): I’m starting my 49ers Mock Draft 2.0 with a trade back with the New York Jets. I’m trading them No. 2 for No. 6 and New York’s picks in rounds 2, 4, and 7. I think the Jets really want Mitchell Trubisky and are willing to go get him more than Cleveland. With the 6th pick in round one, I’m drafting LSU’s powerful running back Leonard Fournette. I think he’s one of the safest players in the draft. Fournette will take pressure off of the 49ers passing game for a long time. He’s the dynamic offensive weapon that this offense desperately needs. He’s a plug and play week one starter, offensive rookie of the year candidate. Added plus, Fournette grew up as a 49ers fan.
No. 34 Davis Webb (QB, Cal): If he’s there, he’s my guy. I think he’s the sleeper quarterback in this draft. I think he’s the guy people look back and say, ‘Why did nobody see that Davis Webb was a franchise quarterback?’ He’s a big kid, he’s athletic, he’s smart. He’s the son of a coach. He lives to play football. He loves the process of football. I think he’s got a well above average arm, well above average athleticism. I’m not confident he’ll be there.
No. 39 Budda Baker (S, Washington): He’s only 5-foot-10, but I see a lot of the same things from Earl Thomas coming out of Texas. Baker’s an excellent coverage safety. He’s not the hitter Thomas is, but he is a big play guy. All he does is produce. He could also play cornerback at the next level, probably free safety. You could be talking about a Pro Bowl player. I think Budda Baker will be a better safety in the NFL than both Malik Hooker and Jordan Adams.
Third Round: Jordan Leggett (TE, Clemson): The more I studied Deshaun Watson, the more impressed I became with Leggett. He’s 6-foot-5, great ball skills, runs a terrific route. If you watch Clemson football, this guy made play after play. He’s got enough speed to beat man coverage. He’s not a home run hitter like an O.J. Howard from Alabama. He’s not super dynamic. To me, he’s very efficient. He will catch every 3rd and 5 pass.
Fourth Round: Derek Rivers (Edge Rusher, Youngstown State): He probably won’t last this long, but Rivers is a tremendous athlete. He doesn’t have great height. If he had played at Michigan, he’s a second round pick.
Fourth Round: Rasual Douglas (CB, West Virginia): Guys who intercept the ball at the collegiate level seem to transfer that skill often into the league. He was marked down because he didn’t run a great 40-time. He’s not the speediest corner, he’s a bigger guy. I like his attitude and his physicality.
Fourth Round: Dion Dawkins (OL, Temple): If you look at the 49ers depth chart, guard isn’t all that solidified. Zane Beadles, Joshua Garnett (a first round pick last year) and there’s talk of Jeremy Zuttah or Daniel Kilgore sliding over to guard. I think they are looking for more depth at guard. Dawkins is athletic, they’ve worked him out.
Fifth Round: Blair Brown (LB, Ohio): He had a very strong combine in terms of workout numbers. The main reason he’s still on the board here is that he’s short at 5-foot-11. The one thing about the NFL is that they have their size and speed preferences. Inside backers are increasingly becoming taller in this league. I think Brown has the athleticism to cover athletes in this league.
Fifth Round: Samson Ebukam (DE, Eastern Washington): At 6-foot-3, 240 pounds, he blew the doors off his pro day — ran a 4.5 40-yard dash. A lot of people haven’t heard of him. He dominated in an All-Star game. When Trent Baalke picked well, he married premier college production with top-tier athleticism. That’s how he wound up with Aldon Smith and NaVorro Bowman. That type of mold is what I think you really have in an Ebukam.
Sixth Round: Jimmie Gilbert (DE, Colorado): Colorado was really good on defense this year and it wasn’t just all their secondary. Gilbert can rush the quarterback. He’s 6-foot-5, 230 pounds. He needs to get stronger, but I think he’s a nice player as an outside pass rusher.
Sixth Round: David Jones (S, Richmond): Injury concerns — he broke the same arm twice — will cost him several rounds in this draft. If he was healthy, he’s a second or third round talent.
Seventh Round: Tanzel Smart (DL, Tulane): Big-time playmaker, he’s just short — 6-foot, 285 pounds. Reminds me a little of Ronald Blair. He’s got a great motor, he’s versatile, he’s tough, he can play all over the place.
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Kevin Jones’ Mock 2.0
No. 2: Reuben Foster (LB, Alabama): After studying Seattle’s scheme more, it’s clear that K.J. Wright and Bobby Wagner are the duo who tie the defense together in the middle. Foster gives you sideline-to-sideline chase-down speed, blanket coverage on tight ends, an absolute stopper in the run game and the ability to beat offensive linemen with either speed or strength. Pairing Foster with NaVorro Bowman very well could jump start this defense from 32nd to 15th next season. As for the concerns about his incident at the combine that forced the NFL to send him home? The 49ers need a player to rattle the cage in the locker room. Bowman and Joe Staley are the leaders, but San Francisco badly needs that Richard Sherman type ramp up the intensity behind the scenes. John Lynch knows this better than anyone.
No. 34: Zay Jones (WR, East Carolina): Jeremy Kerley and Marquise Goodwin are nice complimentary pieces, but they don’t have the No. 1 receiving potential Jones brings to the table. Nobody has softer hands in the draft and Jones is both fearless over the middle as well as versatile deep threat. His size (6-foot-1, 195 pounds) doesn’t wow you, but literally every other box is checked, including an FBS record 399 career receptions.
Third round: Jordan Willis (Edge Rusher, Kansas State): He’s got the size (6-foot-4, 255-pounds), production (Big 12 DPOY with 11.5 sacks) and reps on tape as a three-year starter to believe he could compete right away with Aaron Lynch for playing time. Willis was also stout against the run with the Wildcats. That can’t be a forgotten equation when it comes to this draft.
Fourth round: Brad Kaaya (QB, Miami): I just don’t think Kyle Shanahan is going to want to waste a second-round pick on a quarterback he isn’t absolutely in love with. The 49ers still need to add somebody to that room, even if he doesn’t have franchise quarterback potential. Kaaya (6-foot-4, 215 pounds) is a smart decision-maker who protects the football (27 TD, 7 INT last season). He’s got smooth mechanics and produced as a three-year starter for the Hurricanes. There are serious questions about his arm talent and mobility, but as a long term project, the 49ers could do a lot worse.
Fourth round: Cordrea “Tootsie” Tankersly (CB, Clemson): A very similar player to last year’s hidden gem Rashard Robinson, Tankersly is a scheme fit for defensive coordinator Robert Saleh. He’s a physical 6-foot-1, 200-pound corner who can tackle in space and has proven he can make plays — nine interceptions the last two seasons. Clemson has produced several above average NFL cornerbacks in recent years — Bashaud Breeland, Coty Sensabaugh, Marcus Gilchrist and Byron Maxwell. Tankersly could be next.
Fifth round: James Conner (RB, Pittsburgh): Even after re-signing DuJuan Harris and adding Tim Hightower, it’s a safe bet the 49ers will be selecting a running back at some point in the draft. Enter Conner, a punishing 230-pound runner. You’re not getting elite athleticism, but you are getting a team captain who beat a diagnosis of Hodgkin’s lymphoma to return to the field. Shanahan will find ways to get creative with Conner.
Fifth round: J.J. Dielman (OL, Utah) — A leg injury senior year hurt the 6-foot-5, 309-pounder’s draft stock — cue the Trent Baalke jokes. Still, he’s versatile and athletic, and has the ability to play both right tackle and center. Dielman is considered very good scheme fit for Shanahan’s zone-blocking system.
Sixth round: Malachi Dupre (WR, LSU )– The quarterback situation no doubt hurt his draft stock. With 41 receptions last season, Dupre led the Tigers. He’s not a speedster at 6-foot-2, but he has reliable hands and untapped potential in a run-first offense. He’s worth the chance in the sixth round.
Sixth round: Ben Boulware (LB, Clemson) — One of the most confident interviews at the combine, Boulware told teams to “pull up the tape,” if they want to know why he deserves an NFL roster spot. Not the fastest or the strongest, Boulware plays with great instincts — 116 tackles, 11.5 for a loss in a championship campaign last year. He’ll be the hardest worker in the locker room to prove himself and could catch on as a traditional thumping middle linebacker.
Seventh round — You people are sick for still caring about this! I love the NFL.
