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2017 NFL Draft: A Way-Too-Early Look at the San Francisco 49ers Plans

By Peter Panacy

Apr 28, 2016; Chicago, IL, USA; NFL commissioner Roger Goodell (left) and Connie Payton announce the number eight overall pick in the first round of the 2016 NFL Draft to the Chicago Bears at Auditorium Theatre. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 28, 2016; Chicago, IL, USA; NFL commissioner Roger Goodell (left) and Connie Payton announce the number eight overall pick in the first round of the 2016 NFL Draft to the Chicago Bears at Auditorium Theatre. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports /
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The 2016 NFL Draft is in the books, and the San Francisco 49ers are focused on turning those prospects into something of value for this season. But how will things shape up next season? What will some of the draft needs be, and how many picks will the Niners have on the table?

Apr 28, 2016; Chicago, IL, USA; A general view of the stage and podium before the 2016 NFL Draft at the Auditorium Theatre. Mandatory Credit: Jerry Lai-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 28, 2016; Chicago, IL, USA; A general view of the stage and podium before the 2016 NFL Draft at the Auditorium Theatre. Mandatory Credit: Jerry Lai-USA TODAY Sports /

NFL Draft season is a year-round spectacle, and it’s already possible to start gauging the needs for each team as well as the San Francisco 49ers.

With the 2016 draft in the books, the Niners will be focusing the majority of their attention towards turning 11 drafted prospects and a plethora of undrafted free agents into something of value for the upcoming season. And we can’t forget the current crop of players on San Francisco’s roster.

But is it really too early to start looking at the 2017 NFL Draft?

In reality, no. Pro football scouts make a living out of this. These scouts will continue to pour over hours of collegiate film and analysis, and additional pundits have already been hard at work speculating about prospect rankings and mock drafts.

This is especially crucial for the 49ers — a team widely regarded to be not very good in 2016. Amidst an entire roster rebuild, it’s likely the 2017 draft will be just as important as the one recently held by the Niners last month.

So let’s take an early look at what’s facing the 49ers for 2017 and describe Niner Noise’s first-take assessment for the NFL Draft just less than a year away.

Next: 2017 Draft Picks