The dust has settled and football is over for yet another year, here we take a look at the San Francisco 49ers possible 2018 NFL Draft trade targets should they move up and/or down.
If San Francisco 49ers general manager John Lynch showed us anything in his first year, it’s that he has no qualms about making a deal at the trade table.
Whether it be trading down for a ransom from the Chicago Bears and taking defensive end Solomon Thomas, trading back into the first round for linebacker Reuben Foster, deciding to trade for a quarterback (twice, moving up for C.J. Beathard and, of course, the Jimmy Garoppolo trade) or making a call to take a running back not on the draft board in Joe Williams (all of the NFL Draft-day trades and more can be read about in this excellent piece by The MMQB’s Peter King).
So it shouldn’t surprise everyone if Lynch will do the same again.
The 49ers are in a position to do whatever they like. They can use the draft capital obtained by the Bears to move up for someone they love, or they can take advantage of a desperate team wanting to move into the No. 9/No.10 pick, especially one looking for a quarterback, to obtain even more picks for the 49ers future.
Here, we’ll look at a player in different sections of the NFL Draft that could be a possible target.
It’s been broken into six sections of picks: Nos. 1 to 3, Nos. 4 to 9, Nos. 10 to 15, Nos. 15 to 20, Nos. 21 to 25 and Nos. 26 to 32.
Pick No. 1 to No. 3: Saquon Barkley, Running Back, Penn State
Has there been a single more-hyped person in college football all season? I would love to see that player!
No running back has been the No. 1 selection in the NFL Draft in the 21st century. In fact, you have to go back to 1995 where Ki-Jana Carter was selected No. 1 overall by the Cincinnati Bengals.
This is noteworthy for two interesting reasons. Firstly, for those who don’t know, Carter played his college football also at Penn State. Secondly a team traded up to get him, as the Bengals traded with the Carolina Panthers for the No. 1 pick to get him.
Barkley would be the obvious target for the 49ers if running back Carlos Hyde turns out not to be part of their future plans. Teams sold out to stop him, yet he still ran for 1,271 yards at a 5.9 yards-per-carry average and 18 touchdowns. He also contributed heavily in the passing game, going career high for catches (54) and yards (632) and added three touchdowns to his total.
They could also consider
We can’t rule out defense, though, and there is one player worth taking. That would be N.C. State standout Bradley Chubb.
Chubb is a precise fit for the Niners and their need for a EDGE. He took career highs this season in tackles (both solo tackles with 39 and total tackles with 72), tackles for loss (23.0) and equaling his record for sacks (10.0).
It’s hard not to notice Chubb. He took home the ACC Defensive Player of the Year, Bronco Nagurski award and Ted Hendricks award.
It’s hard to fathom it being anyone else but these two, but given the need for a lead running back (if Hyde departs), I have to think it’s Barkley.
Pick No.4 to No.9: Quenton Nelson, Guard, Notre Dame
My very first article was pretty much a love letter for Notre Dame offensive guard Quenton Nelson’s play, I ranked the interior line the second biggest area to upgrade and, in terms of who the best football player is in the draft, this year I firmly believe Nelson is second only to Barkley. In short, this is an obvious trade-up I would be very happy with.
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ESPN’s Mel Kiper and CBS Sports’ R.J. White mocked Nelson to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at No. 7 (h/t Bonnie Mott of Bucs Wire), so it’s possible the 49ers will have to move up for him.
White had this to say about Nelson:
"The Buccaneers need to upgrade several spots on their offensive line, and while left tackle is arguably a bigger need, Nelson is the best offensive line prospect in this class and well worth selecting in the top 10. He’s the type of prospect that isn’t going to bring a lot of excitement to a franchise but about as unlikely to turn into a bust as anyone after dominating top-tier talent at the collegiate level."
Safe to say White feels the same way that I do.
They could also consider
In my ranking of the Niners needs, I ranked cornerback as the top need, stating:
"It’s no secret the NFL is now a passing league first and foremost. As a result, teams need at the very least a trio of good corners to have a chance to counter the best passing attacks. Ahkello Witherspoon got better as the year went on, and K’Waun Williams is a solid third cornerback for the defense. But the Niners need someone across from Witherspoon. Dontae Johnson is not the answer."
The Malcolm Butler situation with the New England Patriots is going to be of immense interest to the Niners. We may never get a full answer to what truly happened for him to be benched before the Super Bowl, but could it be a thing that scares teams off?
If so, then we could see Iowa’s Joshua Jackson become a possible target for the 49ers. Walter Football writer Charlie Campbell had this to say about the Iowa corner after mocking him at No. 8 to the Chicago Bears:
"Jackson (6-1, 192) enjoyed an excellent 2017 as a dangerous ballhawk for the Hawkeyes. He put an exclamation point on the year with a three-interception game against Ohio State. For the season, Jackson recorded 48 tackles with 18 passes broken up and eight interceptions. He has a good size for the NFL with length and athleticism. His timed speed will be important, and some team sources believe that Jackson will run well in the leadup to the 2018 NFL Draft."
The Niners are in the market to find a starter across from Ahkello Witherspoon, and Joshua Jackson could give the Niners a young, potent tandem.
Pick No.10 to No. 15: Tremaine Edmunds, Linebacker, Virginia Tech
Tremaine Edmunds, not Edwards as I rather brilliantly wrote in a previous article, has a lot of fans in the Niners community. While I confess to being a Roquan Smith guy myself, I got to know a bit more about Edmunds and found myself impressed with his tape.
Edmunds had a stellar junior year coming into the draft. He came away with 108 total tackles, 14 tackles for a loss and 5.5 sacks.
Edmunds NFL Draft stock is firmly in the first round, but exactly where is up for debate. NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah actually has the Niners select Edmunds with the No. 9 pick, while Walter Football has him mocked to Green Bay at No. 14. If the Niners trade down, and then select Edmunds, it would provide huge value and a partner in crime for young Niners phenom, Reuben Foster.
They could also consider
If there’s one underrated positional group in the Niners right now, it has to be wide receiver for me. Pierre Garcon will take the mantle of the No. 1 receiver and is a great route runner. Marquise Goodwin exploded with Jimmy Garoppolo throwing to him, there’s definite chemistry there. Trent Taylor has amazing potential with his ability to get open on third downs in the slot, and Kendrick Bourne will no doubt intrigue Niner fans after he flashed potential coming in as an undrafted free agent.
All that’s lacking is a big body for the red zone, enter SMU’s Courtland Sutton. Here’s what NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah had to say about him:
"Sutton has an outstanding build for the position,” Jeremiah wrote. “He’s tall with a long, muscular frame. He uses his size/strength combination to win a lot of 50/50 balls. Sutton is a matchup nightmare in the red zone. He easily boxes out defenders, times his jump and catches the ball at the highest point."
He fits what the Niners need to complete the wide receiver set they have, and would be an obvious trade down target.
Pick No. 16 to No. 20: Billy Price, Guard/Center, Ohio State
I’ve said it before, I’ve said it again and I have no doubt I’ll say it once more after the following sentence. Interior line is probably the biggest area of need.
There’s not a lot to say about this one. Billy Price is a tough blocker who played a lot of tough opposition at Ohio State and will fit easily as an upgrade for the 49ers at either center or guard. He isn’t as hyped as Nelson, but should be a safe and steady pick in the back half of the first round.
They could also consider
Here’s a question, what do the Niners do if Carlos Hyde leaves? Saquon Barkley would be an amazing addition but the Cleveland Browns could possibly take him at No. 1.
So what about if the Niners look at possibly the second best running back?
Georgia’s Sony Michel ran for 1,227 yards at 7.9 yards per carry and 16 touchdowns. While not the best receiving back in the class, Michel can still be the workhorse back for the Niners and a new toy for the offense to pair with Jimmy Garoppolo.
Pick No. 21 to No. 25: Donte Jackson, Cornerback, LSU
Well, we already looked at one cornerback named Jackson, so why not another?
I already said in the Joshua Jackson slide about how someone to pair with Witherspoon is a priority so there’s not much to about why this pick makes sense, so let’s look at Jackson (Donte not Joshua again).
Jackson is lightning fast, and can go head to head with the speediest receivers. While he doesn’t have the best interception record (just one this season) he has broken up nine passes while providing excellent coverage. He isn’t perfect and requires coaching up to get his full potential, but it’s very easy to see him be the No. 2 cornerback for the 49ers.
They can also consider
If the Niners have confidence in their coaching, they may take someone for the second year in a row who has dropped due to behavioral concerns, LSU EDGE Arden Key.
I’ve written before that I hope the Niners stay away, but that doesn’t mean they (or you, the reader) agree. Key has a skillet worthy of a top-10 pick, and he may be too good to pass up here.
Pick No. 26 to No. 32: Rashaan Evans, Linebacker, Alabama
What’s better than having one Alabama linebacker tearing up defenses? How about two?
Rashaan Evans is, in my view, a very underappreciated prospect. He does everything fairly well and was one of the standouts on a packed Crimson Tide defense. With the First Pick had this to say:
"Rashaan Evans is a do-everything linebacker prospect who makes a constant impact on the game. He brings a physical presence to the field by delivering big hits. Evans also uses his speed to make plays from sideline to sideline. In the run game, Evans plays downhill and doesn’t hesitate to take on blocks. He does a great job rolling his hips into the blocker and creating a jolt. This provides him with room to attack and make the tackle. Evans also has the quickness to work around blocks in space. He is a big hitter who approaches his target under control. Evans isn’t someone who will surrender yards after contact nor miss many tackles. His overall value is increased thanks to his ability to hold up in coverage. Evans drops in coverage with great balance, keeps his head on a swivel and quickly closes on the ball. He also has the speed to stick with tight ends, running backs and some receivers."
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Sounds like a worthy pick at the end of the first round to me.
They could also consider
Offensive tackle Kolton Miller had a great season at UCLA after being moved to protect Josh Rosen’s blindside. Joe Staley can’t play forever, and Trent Brown is coming off injury, so maybe the 49ers will look to the future and draft a talent who can protect Jimmy Garoppolo’s blindside for the rest of his career.
CBS Sports had this to say:
"Per Pro Football Focus, Miller allowed just 15 quarterback pressures (two sacks, eight hits, five hurries) on 544 pass-block snaps in 2017, which was good for the site’s 10th-best Pass-Block Efficiency score among 121 qualifying offensive tackles. In a pass-happy NFL, Miller’s pass-blocking prowess will likely be the main reason he’s picked in the first round."
Next: 5 Senior Bowl prospects the 49ers should target in the 2018 NFL Draft
It would be very savvy to trade either way back, or back into, the first round to take Miller.