Round 2, Pick No. 37
G Joshua Garnett, Stanford
It may sound cliche, but winning football games is all too often done in the trenches. So it would be wise for the 49ers to utilize their first two picks on the defensive and offensive lines.
Stanford guard Joshua Garnett would help solve much of the problems surrounding San Francisco’s O-line after what was a disastrous effort in 2015. Yes, the 49ers have some promising pieces in offensive linemen Andrew Tiller and Trent Brown. But there are more questions than answers right now.
Garnett, a 2015 Consensus All-American, won the Outland Trophy last year — given to the best interior lineman in the NCAA. The 6’4″, 312-pound prospect would immediately be a contender to start along the O-line and would add long-term options at either guard position.
While he still needs some fine-tuning in his run blocking efforts, Garnett is a type of player who could jell in head coach Chip Kelly’s inside-zone scheme.
In the run game, Stanford guard Joshua Garnett had a raw +30.5 grade on 291 "man" blocking plays and +7.0 raw on 226 zone plays
— Steve Palazzolo (@PFF_Steve) March 30, 2016
With the selection of Garnett, the 49ers O-line would have significantly less worry heading into the 2016 season.
And it all starts up front, right?
Next: Round 3