The San Francisco 49ers got a jump on their offensive-minded offseason when they acquired franchise quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo at midseason. That brings them full circle to keep focusing on defense with their team needs in the 2018 NFL Draft.
General manager John Lynch took defensive end Solomon Thomas, inside linebacker Reuben Foster and cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon with the first three picks of his first draft in 2017. They are joined by fifth-round tight end George Kittle as projected second-year starters in '18.
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That's pretty good immediate help from a 10-pick haul, with major help from trading down from No. 2 overall. In this year's NFL free agency, Garoppolo saw the team add center Weston Richburg and running back Jerick McKinnon to be key parts of Kyle Shanahan's offense. The big splash, however, came on defense in signing cornerback Richard Sherman soon after he was released by the rival Seahawks.
So how does that all set the table for the 49ers in the '18 draft? It starts with seeing what picks they have to work with:
49ers' 2018 NFL Draft picks
| Round 1, No. 9 |
| Round 2, No. 59 (from NO) |
| Round 3, No. 70 (from CHI) |
| Round 3, No. 74 |
| Round 4, No. 128 (from PIT) |
| Round 5, No. 143 (from NYJ) |
| Round 6, No. 184 |
| Round 7, No. 223 (from MIA) |
| Round 7, No. 240 (from KC) |
49ers' 2018 draft needs
Edge rusher: The 49ers were tied for 26th in the NFL with 30 sacks last season. The hope is Thomas can convert his freakish skill set into dominance, but it would help to have another young, viable threat to take the blocking attention off him.
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Outside linebacker: For now, the 49ers are still counting on Foster to play a big role in the middle and got some insurance in former Chargers starter Korey Toomer. But on the outside, Eli Harold is shaky and Malcolm Smith is coming off a season lost to a torn pectoral. Because Smith can flip to either weak or strong side, San Francisco needs to find a K.J. Wright-type rangy tackler and cover man to support Foster.
Safety: Jaquiski Tartt is ideal for the strong starting spot, but free safety Eric Reid was unsigned. Seventh-rounder Adrian Colbert played OK as a rookie through six starts, but there's nothing spectacular yet about his playmaking. Jimmie Ward, who's better off at either corner or nickel back, isn't an answer. The 49ers could use a versatile, more adept cover man.
Offensive line: Richburg takes care of center, but at left guard Laken Tomlinson and Jonathan Cooper are makeshift retreads. At right guard, Joshua Garnett, a 2016 first-rounder, didn't play at all in '17 after knee surgery. And while left tackle Joe Staley needs a successor soon, he and right tackle Trent Brown were terrific together last season, which makes the interior a much bigger priority.
Wide receiver: The 49ers did extend Marquise Goodwin and are happy about what he and Pierre Garcon can do as busy targets for Garoppolo, but after not dipping into free agency for a little more size and red zone pop, that need must be addressed at some point.
Cornerback: Sherman, Witherspoon, Ward and K'Waun Williams could end up being a good group, but given Sherman's age, Witherspoon's youth and Ward and Williams' uncertainty in sub packages, the 49ers need more quality depth and upside.
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First-round plan
No. 9: Minkah Fitzpatrick, DB, Alabama, or Derwin James, S, Florida State
Not too long ago, it seemed like the 49ers would have no shot at Fitzpatrick picking out of the top five, but because of the quarterbacks, Penn State running back Saquon Barkley and N.C. State defensive end Bradley Chubb, the former Crimson Tide secondary leader is looking like he'll be available.
When teams are evaluating Fitzpatrick as just a corner, they're siding more with the pure-positioned Denzel Ward of Ohio State. Then come teams deciding how high they want to go on a safety, which has similarly caused James' stock to slip a bit.
The 49ers are taking an in-depth look at Fitzpatrick with an extended visit but between the Browns at No. 4, the Buccaneers at No. 7 and the Bears at No. 8, someone could still spoil that match. Luckily for San Francisco, there isn't much of a drop-off from Fitzpatrick to James as a fallback option.
Second-guessing that plan
While Fitzpatrick or James would be a nice piece to round out the secondary behind Thomas and Foster, those players could also use some extra support up front. The 49ers still have remnants of their old 3-4 base up front with Arik Armstead and DeForest Buckner. While Buckner has settled nicely in as a 4-3 tackle, Armstead needs to be replaced to lead the rotation opposite Thomas.
Texas-San Antonio's Marcus Davenport is among the intriguing pass rushers gaining steam and moving up the board late in the draft process. Boston College's Harold Landry is also in play to go ahead of his mid-first round projections.
There might be greater appeal, though, in Virginia Tech linebacker Tremaine Edmunds because of his versatility to potentially flank Foster against the run while also getting to the quarterback. Davenport has great upside as a sack artist, but Edmunds is a little more complete at another position of need. Georgia's Roquan Smith is a similar playmaker firmly on the 49ers' second-level radar for the first round.
The unlikely availaiblity of Notre Dame offensive lineman Quenton Nelson would be the only thing to make the 49ers stray away from defense if they stay put at No. 9.
Don't act surprised if ...
... The 49ers swing another big trade down. San Francisco's pick will have greater value should one of the "consensus" top four quarterbacks last through the first eight picks. In that scenario the 49ers can recreate last year's coup and find a team looking to grab a quarterback to increase their volume of picks.
With the Browns, Giants, Jets and Broncos already in the top four to take quarterbacks if needed, the Bills, who hold Nos. 12 and 22, should be on speed dial for Lynch. Then consider two other AFC East teams who might also be in the mix for a quarterback, the Dolphins at No. 11 and the Patriots at Nos. 23 and 31.
There's no good reason for the 49ers to trade up because whoever the best available player becomes after the early run on quarterbacks is bound to mesh with a need.
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Day 2 draft plan
The 49ers have three picks in a 16-selection span from No. 59 to No. 74. Based on the values of this draft, edge rusher, offensive line and wideout will come into play here more.
There's a chance one of two defensive ends — LSU's Arden Key or Ohio State's Sam Hubbard — will have a Foster-like fall into the 49ers' laps, but the team is also keyed into Florida State's Josh Sweat in this same range. Auburn's Josh Holland and Wake Forest's Duke Ejiofor also fit the unique LEO role in San Francisco's defense.
A slider the 49ers would jump on is UTEP guard Will Hernandez, but Auburn's Braden Smith is bound to be around in this range as another option. At wide receiver, Oklahoma State's Marcell Ateman has drawn interest from them as a big-bodied target.
In contrast, the defensive back spike early and the middle-tier prospects don't carry the same value. Following the best-available theme should work well for the 49ers on Day 2.
Day 3 draft sleeper
Auden Tate, WR, Florida State
If they want, the 49ers could afford to wait and pass on Ateman because Tate checks the boxes of what they need in a specialized, big wide receiver. The knock on Tate (6-5, 228 pounds, 4.68 40-yard dash) is his lack of speed. San Francisco can look past that, though, because it already has the track star Goodwin and quick-footed Garcon. The 49ers know they need to finish a lot more drives in 2018 and Tate would provide sneaky-good help in the red zone.
49ers 2018 draft: Final thoughts
The 49ers' offseason has been quiet in relation to those of the Cardinals facing big changes, the Seahawks losing big names and the Rams making big trades, but taking care of Garoppolo and getting some core defensive pieces allows Lynch to manipulate the draft to get the next wave of complementary pieces.
There should be every expectation that San Francisco will maximize its volume of picks for a second consecutive year.
