San Francisco 49ers: Full 7-Round Big Board for 2016 NFL Draft
Round 3, Pick 68
Up until now, we’ve had no centers or inside linebackers on any list, despite being two significant positions of need. That’s about to change.
- Nick Martin, C, Notre Dame
- Ryan Kelly, C, Alabama
- Corey Coleman, WR, Baylor
- Scooby Wright III, LB, Arizona
- Jordan Payton, WR, UCLA
- Antonio Morrison, LB, Florida
- Cayleb Jones, WR, Arizona
- Sebastian Tretola, OG, Arkansas
- Christian Hackenberg, QB, Penn State
- John Theus, OT, Georgia
Interior Line
This is the ideal place to shore up the interior of the offensive line, with several players likely to be available around this selection.
Nick Martin is my favorite center prospect at the moment, with a high floor and a low ceiling. He was a better prospect before suffering a knee injury in 2013, but still can flip between center and guard, with a powerful mean streak and ferociousness at the point of attack. Ryan Kelly might have the higher ceiling, though he looks better in pads than his raw physical attributes and strength should otherwise suggest. Sebastian Tretola is marginal athletically, which could hurt him in Chip Kelly’s system, but there’s not going to be too many players who can out-power him.
Wide Receiver
If the 49ers haven’t gone receiver in the first two rounds, there are options here, though my analysis of the players here is probably furthest from, say, the CBS big board.
Corey Coleman is listed as a first-round talent in a number of places, but I think he’s too small to really play outside, while he hasn’t done much work out of the slot. Add some drop issues and a limited route tree, and I’m not willing to use an early pick on him—here in the third round, though, his raw speed is enticing. Jordan Payton is often considered a day-three talent, but he’s a productive receiver with a big frame and is a plus-run blocker, which might work well as a contrast to Torrey Smith. Cayleb Jones surprised some people by coming out of college early, but I think he has the potential to rise up draft boards at 6’3”, with long arms and fluid motion. He’ll have to perform well at the combine and in pre-draft workouts, but keep an eye on him; I think he might be a fast riser this offseason.
Linebackers
Still upset about the loss of Chris Borland? Why not look to Scooby Wright, who dominated in 2014 and then struggled through 2015 after suffering through injuries. Like Borland, Wright is only a so-so athlete, but he has the same great instincts that made Borland such a revelation in 2014. A slightly bigger risk, thanks to some injury history and some arrests in 2013, would be Antonio Morrison. He’s an outside linebacker in a 4-3, but probably would move inside in San Francisco, where his toughness and aggressiveness would play well.
Others
If the 49ers still haven’t addressed the quarterback position, Christian Hackenberg could be their man here as the last of the day-two quarterbacks; he has the perfect build and arm for the position, but his lack of awareness and struggles with reading coverage have dropped him from a first-round talent to a more questionable prospect. If they really feel they need an offensive tackle in the first three rounds, they could go for John Theus, but he’s got some issues of his own—not strong enough for the right side, not athletic enough for the left.
Next: Round 4: Bulking up on defense
Round 4
We don’t know precisely where this pick will be, as compensatory picks begin to get into the equation here. It’ll be early in the round, however, and this is a great spot to shore up the offensive line.
- Joshua Perry, ILB, Ohio State
- Christian Westerman, OG, Arizona State
- Kyle Murphy, OT, Stanford
- Cody Whitehair, OG, Kansas State
- Byron Marshall, WR, Oregon
- Sheldon Day, DT, Notre Dame
- Jason Spriggs, OT, Indiana
- Jack Allen, C, Michigan State
- Jordan Williams, WR, Ball State
- Cassanova McKinzy, ILB, Auburn
Defense
If the 49ers pass on Scooby Wright earlier, this is a very good spot to shore up their linebacking corps. Josh Perry is a tackling machine who projects well as a run-stopping middle linebacker in the pros. People don’t break through his wrap-ups, though he lacks the athleticism to go sideline-to-sideline like the best interior linebackers do. Cassanova McKinzy has the best name in the draft, and would have been a solid pick at this point last season, had he chosen to come out. He has experience playing everywhere in the linebacking corps, though picking one spot and sticking with it will help him.
As for the other defensive positions, this could be a nice slot for Sheldon Day to come off the board, but he’s kind of a man without a position thanks to his lack of size. He’s a strong pass rusher and unusually athletic, so a clever defensive coordinator should be able to find a use for him.
Offensive Line
Working from the inside out…
Jack Allen was a high school wrestler, so you know he’s tough. He’s not the most athletic talent in the world—hence why he has a fourth-round grade—but he checks a lot of the other boxes you want in a starting center. Christian Westerman is exceptionally athletic, and could possibly play either center or guard in the NFL. He’s going to break the scale at the combine, scoring high in all events. Cody Whitehair has smaller arms than most players the 49ers have drafted in the past, but he’s a very safe prospect and tireless worker.
On the outside, Kyle Murphy’s ceiling is probably as a right tackle, but that’s what the 49ers could use right now. He’s athletic in space, which is a plus in Kelly’s system, but he might need a year to add on some bulk. Jason Spriggs has been vaulting up draft boards recently, though his raw strength leaves something to be desired.
Wide Receivers
It wouldn’t be a Chip Kelly board without someone from Oregon on it, and that’s where Byron Marshall comes in. Marshall has had 1,000 yard seasons on the ground and in the air, as he’s bounced between running back and receiver, but a leg injury ended his season. At only 5’9”, 202 pounds, he’s massively undersized for the NFL, but if there’s any coach in the NFL who could use him, it would be Kelly. A more conventional pick would be Jordan Williams, a slow but tall red-zone threat who excels on jump balls.
Next: Round 4: A potential compensatory selection.