Predicting 49ers Actions in NFL Draft After First Wave of Free Agency

With the first week of free agency coming to a close, the San Francisco 49ers have made very few signings, leaving their NFL draft strategy open to interpretation.

Despite being among the top five in salary cap space and having several perceived needs, the 49ers have been quiet so far this offseason.

Reinforcing the lack of activity, Eric Stark from 49ers.com highlights general manager Trent Baalke’s thoughts on free agency:

“We are always going to try to keep our own guys rather than go out in free agency and pay guys that haven’t invested themselves in this place like these guys have,” general manager Trent Baalke said.

Retaining nose tackle Ian Williams and kicker Phil Dawson were smart decisions based on both impact and veteran leadership, but many believed the 49ers would look to make a splash with one or two marquee free agents like the now Oakland Raiders guard Kelechi Osemele or cornerback Sean Smith.

That time has now past and most remaining free agents are not the sort of impact players the 49ers need to strengthen their roster and improve upon the results of last season.

However, with an NFL-leading twelve draft picks, the 49ers are in a good position to build their roster through the draft.

Whether it was trading up in the first round of the 2013 draft for starting safety Eric Reid, trading back in 2015 for defensive end Arik Armstead or trading draft picks for veteran players like Stevie Johnson, Baalke has shown that he is willing to explore any option to improve the 49ers roster through the draft.

Predicting those decisions? Well, that’s another story.

The 49ers Find Their Solution at QB

First, the elephant in the room: Colin Kaepernick.

With rumors swirling around the 49ers signal caller, it seems all but guaranteed that Kaepernick will find himself in a new uniform come training camp.

With the Denver Broncos, Cleveland Browns and New York Jets all rumored to be in pursuit, it would seem the Browns are leading the effort, having reportedly agreed to deal their third round pick for Kaepernick. The only snag in the process is their attempt to renegotiate Colin’s salary before finalizing the trade.

With Kaepernick seemingly on the out, it is doubtful the 49ers consider Blaine Gabbert as the long-term starter moving forward.

Whether it is in the beginning, middle or end of the 2016 draft, the 49ers will select what they believe to the long-term answer at quarterback.

The favorite would have to be Cal quarterback Jared Goff. With North Dakota State’s Carson Wentz edging out Goff as the top quarterback in most analytic rankings, there is a chance Goff falls to the 49ers at pick seven.

If both quarterbacks are selected before the 49ers pick and they do not deem worthy of trading up, then perhaps Michigan State’s Connor Cook could be the answer in the second or third round. Baalke is already rumored to be coveting Cook despite his lackluster reputation.

Lastly, Oregon’s Vernon Adams would be a late-round prospect with tremendous upside. After an outstanding senior season and a head-turning performance in the senior bowl, scouts, analysts and media outlets began to reevaluate the potential of Adams.

While those opinions seem to vary wildly, Adams presents an intriguing option in a Kelly system that would prove familiar to his college experience.

The 49ers’ Front Seven Gets An Upgrade

Whether at the defensive lineman, outside or inside linebacker position, the 49ers will bolster the presence of their front seven.

Ranking in the bottom five of the NFL in both rushing and passing defense, the 49ers could go with any of the above and find much needed improvement.

The first would have to be Oregon defensive lineman DeForest Buckner. The 6’8”, 300 pound Oregon product would need to be taken with the 49ers first round pick, if Buckner makes it that far. He possess the skills to improve both run defense and pass rush, and his stock has been on a steady rise.

Pairing him with 2015 first round selection and former teammate, Arik Armstead, would also prove effective.

Another option could be Ohio State linebacker Derron Lee.

After showcasing his elite athletic ability at the combine, his stock rose sharply. He would also prove a fitting compliment to current 49ers linebacker NoVarro Bowman, using his speed to handle coverage duties from sideline to sideline.

This option would also allow Baalke to trade back in the first round of the draft, adding more picks to further rebuild the depleted roster.

While there are no top-tier, pure pass rushing prospects worthy of the seventh pick, Baalke may see fit to address this need in the second or third round.

Prospects like Oklahoma State’s Emmanual Ogbah, Clemson’s Kevin Dodd, or Michigan State’s Shilique Calhoun all project anywhere from the late first to early third round, and could all add needed upgrades or dependable depth to a struggling defense.

The 49ers Plug The Gaps In Their Offensive Line

Again, the 49ers find themselves on the wrong end of the stat sheet, ranking 28^th with 53 sacks allowed in 2015.

They also let Alex Boone move on via free agency, and while his performance last season left much to be desired, it also creates another hole to fill in an offensive line that has already sprung too many leaks.

If the 49ers hope to add a new, franchise quarterback to the roster, they must first find a way to improve their offensive line, so Baalke chooses to address this need several times in this year’s draft.

Ideally, the 49ers address other needs with their first pick and land Kansas State’s Cody Whitehair at the beginning of the second round. Whitehair is the consensus top offensive guard in this year’s draft and would be an ideal selection for the 49ers, immediately filling the void left by Boone.

If he is not available, Clemson’s Vadal Alexander would also be a worthy selection.

Other day two prospects include Stanford’s Joshua Garnett, Arizona State’s Christian Westerman or North Carolina’s Landon Turner.

The above are three likely scenarios for Baalke and the 49ers come draft day.

In the meantime, they could also choose to use some of these draft picks to trade for already established players on other teams within the NFL, but those options would prove almost infinite.

More often than not, attempting to predict the direction of Baalke’s 49ers on draft day proves futile, but only time will tell as we approach the NFL draft on April 28, 2016.

Next: 8 Players 49ers Should Consider In Free Agency

All statistics, records and accolades courtesy of Pro-Football-Reference.com and ESPN.com unless otherwise indicated.