Whether it’s a Top-30 visit, a formal interview, or a Zoom call, the 49ers will likely choose the players they meet with based on their recent draft history. Once the contact is broken down by player, position, and round, patterns start to show. Who, what, and why?
First Round: 31 OT: Roger Rosengarten of UW and Kingsley Suamataia of BYU are the main players to watch in the second round.
C/G: It’s too early. There isn’t much of a talent decline in the ten-person center class.
WR: Adonai Mitchell of Texas may depart before the age of 25, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Xavier Legette of South Carolina was given a formal interview at the Combine and spent 30 minutes with the 49ers; he provides the necessary physicality and the ability to outrun man-to-man coverage.
DT: Illinois’ Jer’Zhan Newton has the stats to be a disruptive force both inside the pass rush and against the run. The Niners haven’t met with him, but they did attend his most recent pro day. They have been to Oregon’s Brandon Dorlus (82–94) and Ohio State’s Michael Hall Jr. (50–63) as defensive ends.
Edge: According to Tony Pauline of Pro Football Network, the 49ers are considering Darius Robinson of Missouri as an inside-outside DL backup to Arik Armstead. Robinson has the desired body type; he fits the recent draft history; they met him at the Combine; and they respond this way to losing guys. Having said that, I think there would be a scent.
Robinson lacks explosiveness; he has the shortest broad jump and the slowest 10 and 40 timings in the edge class. His play is too upright, and he plays too slowly off the line. The Mobile practices where he received accolades focused on beating his opponent by taking advantage of the extra space in 1-on-1 situations.
DB: The document presents options for Jekyll and Hyde. 4.28 shutdown corner in Clemson’s Nate Wiggins, who is unable to stop the run. Despite being a talented cover corner, Kool-Aid McKinstry doesn’t always put money into his game. D. Ennis Rakestraw, who is obviously slower but excels at covering and has the greatest run defense in the draft,. With fewer flaws, Tampa is a combination of size and speed.
In spite of the poor run defense, Wiggins is being considered because he visited for thirty minutes. When you consider that Wiggins is only 20 years old and will fill out, he becomes a real possibility.
FS: The Niners had visits from Javon Bullard of Georgia (75–90) and Calen Bullock of USC (55–65), but they did not speak with Cooper DeJean or Tyler Nubin.
Estimated 31-day options, should they decline:
WR (South Carolina) Xavier Legette; (Illinois) DT Zer’Zhan Newton
Darius Robinson (Missouri) has an edge.
Nate Wiggins, the Clemson DB
If they believe they can acquire Hall or Dorlus later, they pass on Newton. I hope Robinson passes away. That leaves Legette and Wiggins as the two unexpected finalists. Tomorrow, I’ll select one for my mock.
A Trade with Aiyuk?
The $30 million per year, $77 million guaranteed contract that Amon-Ra St. Brown recently inked with Detroit makes a move seem more likely. Aiyuk’s expenses might go above the 49ers’ budget.
I will be discussing options and the one transaction that I believe has the potential to fall through in my upcoming Aiyuk trade column. I am resuming work on the draft.
Round Two: 40-55
If the Niners think it will be required, this would be a trade to target Rosengarten. This may result from an Aiyuk transaction, a trade up from 63, or a trade down from 31. Choose wisely, as the Niners have expressed their interest in Rosengarten and a minor advancement guarantees their acquisition.
Second round: sixty-three, assuming it remains.
Bullock or Hall, in that order, if the pick is still in play.
Round three: 94
Legette is a critical selection; if he is not selected in the first round, Kyle Shanahan will choose between Jalen McMillan of Washington and Javon Baker of Central Florida with his weapon pick. To move up and grab one of these receivers, 94 could need to be combined with a fourth.
Given Dorlus and Bullard, if Legette is selected first, this selection will determine if defensive tackle or safety is still needed.
Fourth round: 124
Once more, the question of the day is probably going to be defensive tackle or safety. This time, we’ll be examining Northern Iowa defensive tackle Khrystian Boyd and Wake Forest safety Malik Mustapha. Other candidates include linebackers Trevin Wallace of Kentucky and Cedric Gray of North Carolina, tight end Jonah Elliss of Utah, offensive tackle Caedan Wallace of Penn State, and defensive back Cam Hart of Notre Dame.
Fourth round: 132, provided it remains.
This selection might be applied to a trade-up for Baker or Rosengarten. Otherwise, another whack at the 124 group.
Fourth round: 135 if it’s still there.
A center, presumably Tanor Bortolini of Wisconsin or Hunter Nourzad of Pitt, was inserted on a third swing at 124.
Round five: 176
Mississippi State’s Decamerion Richardson is here if the Niners haven’t chosen a DB. He came for a 30-day tour in addition to an official interview with the Combine team.
Thirty visiting players, including the following, may be paired with the sixth and seventh round selections:
DT: Florida Atlantic’s Evan Anderson and McKinnley Jackson from Texas A&M
Michigan’s Braiden McGregor has the edge.
LB: Darius Muasau (UCLA) and Tatum Bethune (Florida State)
S: Utah’s Sione Vaki
Michigan’s Trente Jones is an OL.
RB: Bub Means (Pitt) WR: Blake Watson (Memphis)
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