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San Francisco 49ers: Full 7-Round Big Board for 2016 NFL Draft

By Bryan Knowles

Oct 4, 2014; College Park, MD, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes defensive lineman Joey Bosa (97) celebrates after sacking Maryland Terrapins quarterback C.J. Brown (not pictured) in the second quarter at Byrd Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 4, 2014; College Park, MD, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes defensive lineman Joey Bosa (97) celebrates after sacking Maryland Terrapins quarterback C.J. Brown (not pictured) in the second quarter at Byrd Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports /
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Will Fuller would make an excellent wideout selection in the second round. Mandatory Credit: Derik Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports
Will Fuller would make an excellent wideout selection in the second round. Mandatory Credit: Derik Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports /

Round 2, Pick 37

Assuming the 49ers don’t go with Treadwell in the first round, this would be a prime place to pick up a receiver. There aren’t as many top offensive line prospects here, though, which might be a reason to go with a tackle back in the first round.

  1. Will Fuller, WR, Notre Dame
  2. Carson Wentz, QB, North Dakota State
  3. Jordan Jenkins, OLB, Georgia
  4. Tyler Boyd, WR, Pittsburgh
  5. Leonard Floyd, OLB, Georgia
  6. Kendall Fuller, CB, Virginia Tech
  7. Emmanuel Ogbah, DE, Oklahoma State
  8. Hunter Henry, TE, Arkansas
  9. Joshua Garnett, OG, Stanford
  10. Pharoh Cooper, WR, South Carolina

Skill Positions

I like Will Fuller a lot here. He drops maybe a few more passes than he should, but he’s a lethal deep threat with fantastic acceleration. He’s also very good at positioning, making defenders have to go the long way to break up passes, which could help with the NFL’s strict illegal contact rules. Tyler Boyd is a little small for the NFL, but his hands are better than Fuller’s, and he excels at short slants and screens, which would work really well in Chip Kelly’s offense.

Pharoh Cooper could be the next Randall Cobb, jack-of-all-trades sort of wideout, who can succeed as a receiver, runner and returner—that would fit really well with Kelly’s emphasis on players who can do multiple things. Tight end isn’t actually a need for the team per se, but Hunter Henry is the best in the class, and can line up in the line, in the slot and in the backfield; he could be Kelly’s Zach Ertz.

Edge Rushers

All three players here would be outside linebackers in San Francisco. Jordan Jenkins might not be the best pass-rusher in the draft, which is why I’ve seen him as far down as the third round, but he’s a leader with a great sense of how the play is developing. He can set an edge and handle tight ends on the strongside, while Aaron Lynch blitzes on the weakside. Leonard Floyd goes a little earlier than this in most drafts, but his thin frame makes me a little wary. As a sub-package pass rusher, however, he has a lot of potential. Emmanuel Ogbah is a juggernaut who is going to run through people, though he doesn’t have the quickness to be a first-round prospect.

Others

Cornerback isn’t a massive need for the team, but Kendall Fuller is a playmaker that will find a very nice home in a system that wants physical cornerbacks, and you know how much the 49ers love drafting players in the secondary.

Pickings are slimmer on the offensive line here, but Stanford’s Joshua Garnett is a Mike Iupati-type run blocker, with the same pass protection issues to worry about. He might be worth a look, especially if they feel they can correct his pass protection problems.

Next: Round 3: Shoring up the offensive line.