The 49ers find themselves without picks in the second, third or fourth round going into Thursday's 2020 NFL Draft. But with two selections in the first round, general manager John Lynch holds a strong deck of cards.
Lynch has said that he's taking calls on possible trades for both the 49ers' first-round picks at Nos. 13 and 31. San Francisco could be seeking a receiver, defensive lineman, cornerback or even offensive lineman with Joe Staley's future uncertain. The 49ers need more draft capital and Lynch is willing to wheel and deal.
In Josh Schrock and I's final mock draft, top receivers CeeDee Lamb, Jerry Jeudy and Henry Ruggs all were off the board. As were cornerback CJ Henderson and defensive tackle Derrick Brown. The 49ers were facing a decision of South Carolina defensive lineman Javon Kinlaw, picking between offensive tackles like Mekhi Becton, Andrew Thomas or Jedrick Wills.
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Lynch decided to win in the trenches on defense after trading DeForest Buckner to the Indianapolis Colts earlier this offseason and selected Kinlaw in our mock draft. Kinlaw in big, fast, strong and versatile. He should be able to bring Day 1 production, but his best football is ahead of him without star potential.
That now brings us to No. 31. Let's play fake GM and make a trade: The 49ers send the No. 31 to the Los Angeles Chargers for Nos. 37 and 114. The Chargers then select offensive tackle Josh Jones.
After trading into the second round, who could the 49ers target early on Day 2? Here are some options at multiple positions.
Wide Receivers
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Along with Jeudy, Ruggs and Lamb all being gone, Justin Jefferson, Brandon Aiyuk, Jalen Reagor and Denzel Mims also were taken. There still are some solid options at the top of the second round, though.
Players like Michael Pittman Jr., Laviska Shenault, Tee Higgins, Chase Claypool and KJ Hamler all could be on the 49ers' radar.
Pittman is the most NFL ready of the above names and could be exactly what coach Kyle Shanahan needs in his offense. The former USC Trojan is 6-foot-4, 220 pounds and an extremely smart player. He broke out his senior season with 101 receptions, 1,275 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns.
Though he isn't a burner -- Pittman still ran a 4.52 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine -- his hands might be the surest in this star-studded draft class. History shows drafting a receiver in the second round might be wiser than adding one in the first.
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Offensive Linemen
Lynch still believes Staley, 36, will return for his 14th season this year, but Staley hasn't set anything in stone. This still is a murky situation.
Georgia's Isaiah Wilson is massive at 6-6 and 320 pounds. He can play either side of the line and would benefit from learning under Staley for a year.
The 49ers also could look at interior linemen like Michigan's Cesar Ruiz and Wisconsin's Tyler Biadasz. Both prospects can play center or guard, and 49ers center Weston Richburg has sustained season-ending injuries each of the last two years.
Cornerbacks
The 49ers allowed a league-low 169.2 passing yards per game last season. That's dominant. With Richard Sherman's age and contract, plus question marks behind him, they still need help at cornerback.
Sherman, 32, is entering the last year of his contract with the 49ers. He looked like he was back to his prime at times, but was burned at a key time in the Super Bowl. Lynch admitted this is a make-or-break year for Ahkello Witherspoon and Emmanuel Moseley isn't exactly a sure thing.
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A handful of good cornerbacks are gone, however, Jeff Gladney, Damon Arnette, Bryce Hall and Noah Igbinoghene still are available. Arnette's Ohio State teammate Jeff Okudah gets all the spotlight, but Arnette easily could be a steal in the draft.
The 49ers don't have a roster full of giant holes. Improvements can take them from contender to champions after shocking many last season. If they trade back from No. 31 and add more picks, quality players still can be found.