Niner Noise
FanSided

Redrafting the 49ers’ questionable 2014 NFL Draft

By Peter Panacy

Commissioner Roger Goodell names a pick by the San Francisco 49ers during the 2016 NFL Draft (Photo by Jon Durr/Getty Images)
Commissioner Roger Goodell names a pick by the San Francisco 49ers during the 2016 NFL Draft (Photo by Jon Durr/Getty Images) /
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ARLINGTON, TX – DECEMBER 19: Terrance Mitchell #21 of the Dallas Cowboys celebrates after intercepting against the New York Jets during the second half at AT&T Stadium on December 19, 2015 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
ARLINGTON, TX – DECEMBER 19: Terrance Mitchell #21 of the Dallas Cowboys celebrates after intercepting against the New York Jets during the second half at AT&T Stadium on December 19, 2015 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images) /

Round 7, Pick No. 245: Cornerback Terrance Mitchell

Original Pick: Fullback Trey Millard

To round out Trent Baalke’s actions in the 2014 NFL Draft, the 49ers should have taken now-Kansas City Chiefs cornerback Terrance Mitchell.

Mitchell would have been San Francisco’s third cornerback taken, had the aforementioned picks gone this way. But remember, Keith Reaser is still hurt and won’t take the field his rookie season.

That would have opened up the door for the 5-foot-11, 192-pound Mitchell, who was eventually selected by the Dallas Cowboys at No. 254. While his time in Dallas didn’t work out, the Chiefs took a stab at him in 2016, and he ended up starting two games opposite standout corner Marcus Peters.

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During the season, Mitchell registered six passes defended and posted a noteworthy 82.3 Pro Football Focus overall grade.

Perhaps I’m a little biased towards Sacramento natives (I’m in Folsom), but Mitchell would have provided both depth and starting potential for a San Francisco team eventually in need of cornerbacks over the next few seasons.

Instead, the Niners grabbed fullback Trey Millard. And he has yet to see action in a regular-season game with anyone.

Hindsight sure is 20-20. And while we’ll never know if these revisionist picks would have worked out had they landed in Santa Clara, we do know one thing — San Francisco’s offense would have been much better than it has been the last two seasons.

And the defense would have been able to absorb the en masse departures that plagued it in 2015 a bit better too.

Next: Redrafting the 49ers' horrible 2013 NFL Draft

Oh well.