The tenure of general manager John Lynch and Kyle Shannahan got off to a rocky start for the San Francsico 49ers. A strong finish to the season after acquiring quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo from the New England Patriots has the franchise going in the right direction.
Lynch has made a number of key free agent signings to fill needs. Yet, not all has been good for the 49ers. Linebacker Reuben Foster who had a stellar rookie season got charged for felony domestic violence after already getting in trouble a month earlier for marijuana possession. His future with the franchise is cloudy and even if he does remain with team he is certainly facing a lengthy suspension from the NFL.
With Foster out of the equation here’s a look at how the draft may go for San Francisco:
First Round No.9: Tremaine Edmunds, Linebacker, Virginia Tech
With the likelihood of having Foster out for much of the season, the 49ers need a replacement and Edmunds is exactly that. The versatile linebacker in 2017 recorded 108 tackles with 14 for a loss, also recorded 5.5 sacks, forced three fumbles and two passes defended.
Second Round No.59: Anthony Miller, WR, Memphis
The 49ers still do not have a legitimate no.1 receiver on the roster. Though the prefence is to take a bigger receiver, Miller produced for Memphis and was outstanding with 96 receptions for 1,462 yards and 18 touchdowns, he also averaged 15.2 yards per reception.
Third Round No. 70: Dorance Armstrong Jr., DE/OLB, Kansas
Kansas struggled in 2017, which meant a down year for Armstrong Jr, yet in 2016 he recorded 56 tackles including 20 tackles for loss and 10 sacks while forcing three fumbles and recovering two. San Francisco has lacked a consistent pass rush and he fills that void.
Third Round No. 74: Rasheem Green, DE/DT, USC
Green was excellent for the Trojans recording 41 tackles including 12.5 for loss and 10 sacks. He forced a fumble and wound up with four passes defended.
Fourth Round No. 128: Mark Walton, RB, Miami
Last year Walton struggled with injury when he did get his opportunities he produced. He finished the season with 428 yards and averaged 7.6 yards per carry. 2016 he ran for 1,117 yards and 14 touchdowns.
Fifth Round No. 143: Troy Fumagalli, TE, Wisconsin
A big target is necessary for Garoppolo and the 49ers and at 6’6″ Fumagalli will cause match-up nightmares in the red zone. He caught 46 passes for 547 yards and four touchdowns.
Sixth Round No. 184: Quenton Meeks, CB, Stanford
A Richard Sherman comparison and now he’s become a favorite to land with the 49ers. He recorded 61 tackles along with two interceptions and seven passes defended.
Seventh Round No. 227: Isaac Yiadom, CB, Boston College
Adding to the depth at corner Yiadom has the length the 49ers are looking for. He recorded 53 tackles including one for loss to go along with two interceptions and seven passes defended.
Seventh Round No. 240: Marquez Valdez-Scantling, WR, South Florida
Valdez-Scantling started out at North Carolina State and wound up at South Florida. The 6’5″ receiver ran a 4.37 40 at the combine if he can provide speed with that height he becomes a legitimate threat for Garoppolo. In 2017 he caught 53 passes for 879 yards and six touchdowns.