Thanks to some recent mock drafts, the San Francisco 49ers have moved into the first round of this year’s NFL Draft. There’s talk of this being a historic wide receiver class, but the offensive tackle class has top power as well. This is a strategic move considering the Niners’ potential move to secure a top offensive tackle.
Players like Tyler Guyton, Amarius Mims, and Kingsley Suamataia could be in the spotlight, especially with the top four prospects Joe Alto, Olumuyiwa Fashanu, JC Latham, and Talese Fuaga starting from the top 20 picks.
That’s if it leaks. But what about the cost? Is the prospect worth the potential loss of draft capital? A more accurate way to consider trading up is to assess whether the reduced position justifies the loss of draft capital. According to the classic Jimmie Johnson trade chart, a tool teams often use for early-round trades, the 49ers’ current pick is valued at 600 points. ESPN’s mock draft had the Niners ranked 24th with 740 points.
This means that San Francisco will give up the 94th pick worth 124 points and a 5th round pick worth about 21 points at the end of the third round, making this trade worthless for the Dallas Cowboys. Become something. The more hints you get, the more chances you have to find gems. Manager John Lynch and his team need to be absolutely certain that the players they’re targeting are the right ones, especially given their track record of identifying starters with third-day picks.
Tackle – and we’re talking about potential third and fourth spots. Of course, the Niners could use next year’s pick, but you get the point. If you look at the work of Kyle Shanahan and Lynch, they were at their best when they stood firm and brought out the best players. Let the board come to them. Don’t put yourself in a box. If your best defensive tackle is your best player, build up your physical strength. The same goes for wide receivers and centers.
