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San Francisco 49ers: What You Need to Know for 2016 NFL Draft

By Bryan Knowles

Apr 30, 2015; Chicago, IL, USA; A general view of the podium on stage before the 2015 NFL Draft at the Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University. Mandatory Credit: Jerry Lai-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 30, 2015; Chicago, IL, USA; A general view of the podium on stage before the 2015 NFL Draft at the Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University. Mandatory Credit: Jerry Lai-USA TODAY Sports /
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Dec 31, 2015; Arlington, TX, USA; Michigan State Spartans offensive tackle Jack Conklin (74) during the game against the Alabama Crimson Tide in the 2015 Cotton Bowl at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 31, 2015; Arlington, TX, USA; Michigan State Spartans offensive tackle Jack Conklin (74) during the game against the Alabama Crimson Tide in the 2015 Cotton Bowl at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports /

Big Board

The San Francisco 49ers have two of the top 37 picks. Therefore, it seems, they should come away with at least two of their top 37 players—fairly easy math, that. Pro Football Focus has issued a draft board for the every NFL team, including the 49ers, and it’s not bad at all. Considering, however, that this board was put together by someone who, in the PFF mock draft, gave the 49ers three wide receivers and two cornerbacks by the beginning of the fifth round, perhaps we can do a little bit better.

Here, then, are my top 37 players, specifically for the 49ers, this draft season. That doesn’t necessarily mean that they should draft someone exactly at seven if they’re the highest player remaining. Wide receivers like Laquon Treadwell and Josh Doctson would be talented additions to the team, but are probably not worth picking with the seventh overall pick. There are also considerations of positional scarcity and fit to keep in mind; the 49ers might feel there’s a better option at one position or another in rounds two or three, and thus pass up a slightly higher-rated player to pick someone at a position with more scarcity.

I’m more slanted to offense than most big boards you may see out there because I don’t think you hire Chip Kelly without planning a massive overhaul of your offensive personnel, but there are plenty of perfectly acceptable defenders on the board that it would hard to be too upset about.

  1. Laremy Tunsil, OT, Mississippi
  2. Carson Wentz, QB, North Dakota State
  3. Jared Goff, QB, California
  4. Ronnie Stanley, OT, Notre Dame
  5. Jack Conklin, OT, Michigan State
  6. Laquon Treadwell, WR, Mississippi
  7. Josh Doctson, WR, TCU
  8. Joey Bosa, OLB, Ohio State
  9. Corey Coleman, WR, Baylor
  10. Will Fuller, WR, Notre Dame
  11. Taylor Decker, OT, Ohio State
  12. Ryan Kelly, C, Alabama
  13. Jalen Ramsey, CB, Florida State
  14. DeForest Buckner, DE, Oregon
  15. Myles Jack, LB, UCLA
  16. Reggie Ragland, ILB, Alabama
  17. Ezekiel Elliot, RB, Ohio State
  18. Leonard Floyd, OLB, Georgia
  19. Darron Lee, LB, Ohio State
  20. Germain Ifedi, OT, Texas A&M
  21. Paxton Lynch, QB, Memphis
  22. Shaq Lawson, OLB, Clemson
  23. Michael Thomas, WR, Ohio State
  24. Connor Cook, QB, Michigan State
  25. Sheldon Rankins, DE, Louisville
  26. William Jackson III, CB, Houston
  27. Jarran Reed, DT, Alabama
  28. Vernon Hargreaves III, CB, Florida
  29. Eli Apple, CB, Ohio State
  30. Tyler Boyd, WR, Pittsburgh
  31. Karl Joseph, S, West Virginia
  32. Vernon Butler, DT, Louisiana Tech
  33. Hunter Henry, TE, Arkansas
  34. Chris Jones, DE, Mississippi State
  35. Artie Burns, CB, Miami (FL)
  36. Kevin Dodd, OLB, Clemson
  37. Kamalei Correa, OLB, Boise State

Next: Example Picks in Each Round