Poll: Who Should the San Francisco 49ers Take in Round 1 of the 2016 NFL Draft?

The San Francisco 49ers could go one of many different directions with their first pick in the 2016 NFL draft. Niner Noise wants to know your opinion and have opened up the debate with this pre-draft poll.

The 2016 NFL draft is just over one month away, and the San Francisco 49ers own the seventh overall pick.

It’s the first of 12 picks general manager Trent Baalke will have at his disposal and, given the wide array of team needs, he could go in one of many different directions with the pick.

Will San Francisco take a quarterback in Round 1? Should the team address needs along the offensive line or defense?

Or will Baalke focus on a playmaking position like wide receiver?

Niner Noise wants your opinion on which prospect the 49ers should select in Round 1. For the sake of clarity, we’ll limit the selections based on information from CBS Sports and prospects available at, or around, where San Francisco will draft in the round. Rob Rang of CBS Sports’ big board will provide the information necessary, in addition to supplementary info.

Furthermore, no trade-ups or trade-downs will be an option. Yes, Baalke could go this route. But doing so opens up the door to far too many possibilities.

This is a simple fan poll after all.

So let’s get to the choices. And you’ll find your fan poll at the very bottom of each potential NFL draft selection.

Note: Player information and writeups are courtesy of Rob Rang of CBS Sports.

Joey Bosa, DE, Ohio State, 6-5, 269, 4.86, Junior

A better football player than athlete, Bosa wasn’t expected to star at the combine and he didn’t, showing good but certainly not great speed, power and explosiveness for his position in measured drills. While perhaps not an elite tester, Bosa is pro-ready and offers scheme and positional versatility, winning with instincts, technique, power and hustle.

Myles Jack, OLB, UCLA, 6-1, 245, 4.56, Junior

If not for the torn meniscus which ended his collegiate career abruptly and has kept him from working out since, Jack might rank even higher on this list. In a class full of instinctive linebackers, Jack stands out due to his unparalleled combination of awareness, agility and closing speed. Though he has to prove his health at UCLA’s March 15 pro day, the pre-injury Jack was a superstar. Plug him in at outside linebacker for a 4-3 club and forget about the position for a decade while he competes for Pro Bowl honors on an annual basis.

Jared Goff, QB, California, 6-4, 215, 4.82, Junior

Tough, alert and accurate, Goff reminds me in many of ways of the Minnesota Vikings’ young quarterback, Teddy Bridgewater. Unfortunately, another trait these quarterbacks share is a relatively slight frame and small hands, which played a role in Bridgewater dropping to No. 32 overall in 2014 after he’d been projected as an early pick for much of the year. A lesser talent than Jameis Winston or Marcus Mariota a year ago, Goff’s frame and average arm strength limit his fits in the NFL. However, if aided by a running game and defense (like Bridgewater has been), I believe he’ll prove to be one of the few quarterbacks from this class capable of guiding a team to the playoffs.

Carson Wentz, QB, North Dakota State, 6-5, 237, 4.77, Senior

With a terrific week of practice at the Senior Bowl and another at the combine, Wentz turned a lot of critics (including me) into believers. He was inarguably the top quarterback in Mobile, showing an NFL-starter blend of decision-making, accuracy and velocity and showed leadership skills and poise while under a bright spotlight. Of course it is disconcerting that Wentz started just 24 games over his career (including just one against an FBS opponent) and that the Bison went 8-0 this season without him while he recovered from a broken wrist. The talent and mettle he’s shown during that time is undeniable and has created a rush of momentum which could make Wentz the highest-drafted FCS prospect since the Tennessee Titans selected Steve McNair out of Alcorn State third overall in 1995.

Ronnie Stanley, OT, Notre Dame, 6-6, 312, 5.20, Redshirt Junior

Stanley has the length, agility and balance to remain at left tackle in the NFL, where he’s starred the past three seasons for the Irish. Stanley isn’t as powerful or tenacious a run blocker as Tunsil but he moves very well for a big man with a talent and style reminiscent of a young D’Brickashaw Ferguson.

DeForest Buckner, DE, Oregon, 6-7, 291, 5.05, Senior

Buckner isn’t the explosive edge rusher that his Pac-12-leading 10.5 sacks in 2015 would indicate but his length, strength and balance make him a position and scheme-versatile player. Buckner is a better player than his former teammate, Arik Armstead, whom the 49ers selected 15th overall a year ago.

Laquon Treadwell, WR, Mississippi, 6-2, 221, 4.52, Junior

It was disappointing that Treadwell elected not to run at the combine (instead waiting for his March 28 Pro day). But his 40-yard dash time isn’t a huge concern. His NFL-ready frame, body control and raw power make him a frightening draw as a receiver and downfield blocker even if he didn’t show great straight-line speed on tape. Just over a year removed from a horrific leg injury that some thought might threaten his career, Treadwell was one of three finalists for the Biletnikoff Award as the nation’s top receiver and unlike eventual winner Corey Coleman(29th on this list), Treadwell got better as the season progressed.

So there you have the possibilities (at least according to this poll selection).

To sum things up, the 49ers have needs at each one of the aforementioned positions. They could use some prowess along the defensive line, which would mandate the selections of players like Joey Bosa or DeForest Buckner.

San Francisco is widely believed to select a quarterback in the first round as well — CBS Sports’ mock drafts currently project this — which would justify a selection of Cal’s Jared Goff or North Dakota State’s Carson Wentz.

But the Niners could be looking for O-line reinforcement, which leads one to believe Ronnie Stanley will be the target.

And it’s entirely possible to see San Francisco go after a wide receiver like Laquon Treadwell to be the heir apparent to what veteran free-agent wideout Anquan Boldin has been over the past few seasons.

Alright, Niner fans. It’s your time to weigh in on the possibilities. Check off your selection in the poll below, and feel free to chime in on the comments section to speak your opinion!

Thanks for speaking up and participating! We’ll be throwing up the top selection on our Twitter account and sharing some of the better reasons in future articles and Twitter posts!

Next: 2016 NFL Draft: Round 1 Big Board for the 49ers

All statistics, records and accolades courtesy of Pro-Football-Reference.com and Sports-Reference.com unless otherwise indicated. Supplementary draft information courtesy of CBS Sports.