San Francisco 49ers: Biggest Winners & Losers from the 2017 NFL Draft

The San Francisco 49ers brought in a haul of talent from the 2017 NFL Draft. With this new crop comes an immediate impact, but that means other players will lose out. Niner Noise takes a look at the biggest winners and losers from this crucial offseason event.

The 2017 NFL Draft is officially over, and the San Francisco 49ers have to feel pretty good about landing some top-tier talent to reinforce a depleted roster.

General manager John Lynch aced his first draft exam, landing two bona fide starters — Stanford defensive end Solomon Thomas and Alabama linebacker Reuben Foster — before Round 1 even came to a close.

Surely, most first-round selections are winners. And there’s a good chance we’ll see Lynch’s name on this list as well.

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But with every addition comes a subtraction.

So with that in mind, who are the biggest Niners winners and losers from April’s draft?

San Francisco’s roster is still far from perfect. A number of holes were left unaddressed, and the team will either have to hope its incumbents can hold the line or other options present themselves down the road.

Yet the 49ers’ actions in the NFL Draft certainly prompted a few who came out on top, as well as a few whose tenure and future in a Niners uniform became a little more tenuous after the three-day period was complete.

Let’s take a look at both — the biggest winners and losers on San Francisco’s roster.

Winner: General Manager John Lynch

Fans were certainly entitled to have reservations about general manager John Lynch entering draft season.

After all, Lynch had zero front-office experience before accepting the Niners GM job in the wake of Trent Baalke’s departure. And while he said all the right things leading up to Round 1, Lynch’s actions were going to prove the difference between a winner and loser.

Almost all questions were put to rest right out of the gate.

San Francisco traded down one spot, with the Chicago Bears, netting an additional three picks — two in 2017 and a third-round selection in 2018. And the Niners brought in Solomon Thomas anyway, who was all but guaranteed to be the player Lynch wanted atop Round 1.

Lynch and the 49ers: 1, the Chicago Bears: 0. Unless one counts the Bears’ pick, quarterback Mitchell Trubisky, as a major victory.

The new GM struck back at the end of the round as well, using one of those acquired picks to move up to the No. 31 spot to land Reuben Foster. Foster wouldn’t have made it past the New Orleans Saints at No. 32, so it’s yet another great move.

All this prompted one anonymous general manager, to Bleacher Report’s Mike Freeman, to admit Lynch was doing a fantastic job:

Needless to say, Lynch is proving he’s the right man for this rebuild. And it’s going to be nearly impossible to find any fan saying he had a bad draft.

Loser: Tight End Vance McDonald

One thing has been made perfectly clear — San Francisco’s new front office won’t let previous efforts from the prior regime influence the team’s decisions moving forward.

And the 49ers have already made it clear they’re willing to move on from tight end Vance McDonald.

Just before the draft kicked off, rumors started to swirl about McDonald being on the trade block. No deal happened, as pointed out by NBC Sports Bay Area’s Matt Maiocco:

But just because McDonald will stay in place doesn’t make him a winner in this situation.

John Lynch and Co. brought in free-agent tight end Logan Paulsen earlier this offseason. And the Niners added former Iowa tight end George Kittle in Round 5.

Kittle’s stats don’t say a lot about his potential. He could truly be a solid H-back within San Francisco’s offense if utilized correctly — a position the Niners haven’t really had since the free-agent departure of Delanie Walker some years ago.

McDonald was supposed to fill this void but has been mostly a disappointment since joining the 49ers in Round 2 back in 2013.

It’s possible McDonald sticks around with the 49ers this season as a decent pass-catching option. But it’s safe to say he’s not a part of the team’s long-term plans.

Winner: Quarterback Brian Hoyer

One thing the 49ers did not do in the NFL Draft was land one of the more-heralded quarterbacks early in either Rounds 1 or 2.

And this is great news to veteran QB Brian Hoyer, who is now all but guaranteed the starting spot in 2017.

San Francisco 49ers

Hoyer mentioned on KNBR 680’s Murph and Mac Show (h/t Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area) earlier this week he wasn’t overly concerned about the possibility of San Francisco taking one of the more noteworthy QBs early in the draft.

“And the thing that I’ve learned in this profession, and really in life, is not worry about things you can’t control,” Hoyer said. “I can’t control who they draft with the second pick tomorrow and I’m not gonna live my life worrying about it.”

He won’t have to worry too much about it after the draft either.

True, the Niners moved up in Round 3 to select Iowa quarterback C.J. Beathard. But Beathard is a developmental prospect — certainly not expected to take the starting reins his rookie year. In all likelihood, Beathard is a backup option fitting the mold of head coach Kyle Shanahan’s offense for future seasons.

So Hoyer wins out, and 49ers fans will have a chance to see what he can do again under Shanahan’s tutelage.

Loser: Wide Receiver Bruce Ellington

Veteran wideout Bruce Ellington’s future with the team was already in doubt when San Francisco re-signed fellow receiver Jeremy Kerley to a three-year contract earlier this offseason.

But with the draft addition of former Louisiana Tech wide receiver Trent Taylor in Round 5, Ellington’s hold on a roster spot just became a lot more precarious.

Taylor boasts all the attributes Ellington has — speed, quickness, and the ability to double on special teams as a returner. And Taylor surely has better hands, as Pro Football Focus’ Jeff Deeney pointed out:

On the flip side, Ellington’s tenure with the 49ers has been derailed by injuries and inconsistency. He missed all of 2016 with a hamstring injury and saw Kerley take over as San Francisco’s premier slot receiver.

Tack on Taylor, Aldrick Robinson and Marquise Goodwin, and it doesn’t look like Ellington will factor into the 49ers’ plans at this position much longer.

Winner: Safety Eric Reid

Prior to the NFL Draft, one of the more talked-about 49ers needs was in the secondary, primarily at safety.

Armed with the second overall pick, the Niners could have easily landed Ohio State free safety Malik Hooker or LSU strong safety Jamal Adams.

Either move, or even one in later rounds, could have made veteran safety Eric Reid an excess commodity — a notion pointed out by Niner Noise’s Nicholas McGee earlier this offseason.

Related Story: Eric Reid Could Be Odd Man Out for 49ers with Impressive Safety Class

As it turned out, the Niners didn’t draft any safety through all seven rounds. The only safety added was former St. Francis (PA) safety Lorenzo Jerome as an undrafted free agent. And he’ll be a long shot to make the 53-man roster.

Reid, who has fallen off a bit since his rookie 2013 season, will move down into the box as strong safety under defensive coordinator Robert Saleh. Reid also enters a contract year this season, adding to the motivation.

So while it’s hard to speculate about Reid’s future beyond 2017, at least he can take comfort knowing his starting job is all but safe in the immediate picture.

Loser: Nose Tackle Mike Purcell

Fourth-year pro Mike Purcell managed to get into all but one regular-season game as the 49ers nose tackle last season, even starting five of them before veteran defensive tackle Glenn Dorsey took over the starting job midway through 2016.

But Purcell wasn’t exactly a solid option up the middle. Despite registering a career-high 17 tackles last year, Pro Football Focus gave him a 44.1 overall grade on the season — certainly not high enough to justify him sticking around atop the depth chart.

The free-agent pickup of nose tackle Earl Mitchell this offseason ensured Purcell wouldn’t start in 2017, barring injuries.

Yet Purcell could be in danger of losing a roster spot altogether, especially after the selection of D.J. Jones in Round 6.

Jones, at 6-foot-1 and 319 pounds, is a prototypical nose tackle in Robert Saleh’s 4-3 hybrid defense. Saleh prefers short, stocky nose tackles, and Jones even has a decent pass rush in his arsenal.

Even CBS Sports’ Pete Prisco, no stranger to being harsh on the 49ers, said Jones could be “a steal” for San Francisco.

This isn’t good news for Purcell, who will have to fight hard to retain a roster spot this offseason.

Winner: Linebacker NaVorro Bowman

Last year, one of the biggest areas of 49ers weakness was the linebacker position. And it was especially vulnerable when perennial All-Pro NaVorro Bowman suffered a season-ending Achilles injury early in the year.

Enter Alabama inside linebacker Reuben Foster.

In 2012, Bowman was taking over as the team’s best linebacker — even surpassing Niners favorite, Patrick Willis, as the premier playmaker within the front seven.

Bowman, now the mentor, has his apprentice in Foster.

It’s hard to gauge the impact needed from last season, due to Bowman’s injury. But 2015 paints a better picture. Sure, Bowman led the NFL with 116 tackles coming off the horrendous knee injury suffered the previous year. But that kind of pressure was awfully taxing on Bowman’s body.

He won’t have to make every play at the second level any longer. No, those duties can be reserved for Foster now.

Foster was an absolute steal at No. 31 — a player many pegged, including Niner Noise, to go in the top five.

Related Story: Niner Noise Takes Reuben Foster for 49ers in NFL Mocks' Mock Draft

Sure, Foster has some injury concerns. And there are a few off-field worries to be concerned about as well.

But Bowman, who was no stranger to red flags when he was drafted, is the perfect mentor.

It’s going to be great to see a dynamic tandem at linebacker for the 49ers once again.

Loser: Linebacker Ahmad Brooks

It seems as if this has been said for a while now — veteran linebacker Ahmad Brooks is a cut candidate for San Francisco this offseason.

And yet Brooks has managed to stick around. At least for the time being.

Brooks, 33 years old, is a situational pass-rusher at best right now. He hasn’t come close to replicating the efforts that earned him a Pro Bowl nod back in 2013. But the Niners haven’t found anything resembling a worthy replacement before the 2017 NFL Draft.

With free-agent linebacker Malcolm Smith joining the fray, and the Round 1 selection of Reuben Foster, Brooks’ spot on the roster is precarious at best.

Smith probably lines up as the WILL, or weak-side, linebacker not responsible for covering tight ends. Depending on Foster’s maturation, he’ll be the SAM, or strong-side linebacker. Bowman occupies the middle.

Brooks is left out.

Making matters worse for Brooks is the fact he’s entering a contract year. If cut, the Niners would save $5.3 million in cap space while having only $848,750 in dead money.

That’s nothing.

There doesn’t seem to be any reason for San Francisco to retain Brooks, outside of a preseason insurance policy against other players’ injuries.

Winner: Cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon

Round 1 rookies are typically plug-and-play starters. The same could be said of many Round 2 prospects, but third-round guys often find themselves in a backup role their rookie seasons.

That shouldn’t be the case with third-round draftee, cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon.

Witherspoon was a Niner Noise favorite this draft season, and the 49ers now have themselves a big-bodied (6-foot-3, 198 pounds) defensive back to pair with second-year pro Rashard Robinson.

And there’s no reason to expect anything else but this tandem starting right away in 2017, as Rob Lowder of Niners Wire pointed out:

With defensive back Jimmie Ward likely shifting over to free safety, Witherspoon’s prospects for landing a starting job increase dramatically.

And it isn’t as if the Niners have viable starting options behind him. Most of the depth chart at this position is OK, at best, and nothing more.

So that’s great news for Witherspoon, who can showcase his talents right away.

Loser: Running Back Carlos Hyde

Earlier this offseason, general manager John Lynch hinted at the notion he wasn’t entirely convinced No. 1 running back Carlos Hyde would be the answer for San Francisco’s ground game moving forward.

Hyde, the one-time heir apparent to Frank Gore, has yet to crest 1,000 rushing yards in a season. He came close last year, missing the mark by a mere 12 yards, but injuries and inconsistency have prevented Hyde from truly becoming an offensive bell cow.

San Francisco added a number of free-agent tailbacks this offseason, including veteran runner Tim Hightower.

But the NFL Draft provided a deep crop of running backs as well, and the Niners didn’t hesitate to pull the trigger on former Utah tailback Joe Williams in Round 4.

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Williams comes with some durability and dedication questions. But there’s one attribute to his game that can’t be overlooked — speed.

Keep in mind, head coach Kyle Shanahan prefers having multiple running backs capable of shouldering the load. If anything, Williams is similar to the kind of runner Shanahan had with the Atlanta Falcons in Tevin Coleman. Maybe even better.

It wouldn’t be a shock to see Williams take off, especially in a zone scheme.

Next: Recapping the 49ers' Actions in the 2017 NFL Draft

And it wouldn’t be overly surprising to see Williams eventually surpass Hyde on the depth chart either.