What the 49ers' 2017 Draft would have looked like under Trent Baalke

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SANTA CLARA, CA – DECEMBER 28: San Francisco 49ers General Manager Trent Baalke watches warmups against the Arizona Cardinals at Levi’s Stadium on December 28, 2014 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Don Feria/Getty Images) /

So far, the consensus has been that the new regime of the San Francisco 49ers drafted well in their first attempt in the 2017 NFL Draft. Let’s play some revisionist history, and imagine a world with former general manager Trent Baalke is still in control.

Early on in his tenure as general manager of the 49ers, Trent Baalke did have some key selections that played an integral part to the team’s success in the early 2010s.

But things went downhill quickly, with Baalke ultimately constructing a squad that went 5-11 and 2-14 in back-to-back seasons, respectively.

From the infamous 2012 NFL Draft, where not a single draftee from that class is currently on the team, to his habit of selecting players with torn ACLs, Baalke’s track record as general manager is spotty at best.

Change had to be brought forth after consecutive poor drafts and abysmal play on the field. Enter John Lynch, and it appears that the situation in Santa Clara has turned around regarding the front office.

To compare the two, let’s re-mock the 2017 draft as if Baalke were in control — is he as aggressive as Lynch? Does the final result end up being deemed as “successful” as Lynch’s?

What the 49ers’ 2017 NFL Draft would have looked like under Trent Baalke

By Logan Stanley | Jul 1, 2017

So far, the consensus has been that the new regime of the San Francisco 49ers drafted well in their first attempt in the 2017 NFL Draft. Let’s play some revisionist history, and imagine a world with former general manager Trent Baalke is still in control.