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San Francisco 49ers: 7-round mock for 2018 NFL Draft, version 2.0

By Peter Panacy

Commissioner Roger Goodell with San Francisco 49ers #10 draft pick Michael Crabtree (Photo by Jeff Zelevansky/Getty Images)
Commissioner Roger Goodell with San Francisco 49ers #10 draft pick Michael Crabtree (Photo by Jeff Zelevansky/Getty Images) /
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ATLANTA, GA – JANUARY 08: Roquan Smith #3 of the Georgia Bulldogs walks in to the locker room prior to the CFP National Championship presented by AT&T at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on January 8, 2018 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)
ATLANTA, GA – JANUARY 08: Roquan Smith #3 of the Georgia Bulldogs walks in to the locker room prior to the CFP National Championship presented by AT&T at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on January 8, 2018 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images) /

player. 42. . Linebacker. Georgia. Roquan Smith. 9

Georgia linebacker Roquan Smith might have been on San Francisco’s draft board regardless of Reuben Foster’s situation.

Simply put, Smith is a hard-hitting linebacker capable of playing the MIKE, WILL and SAM spots in the 49ers’ 4-3 defense. He would immediately be an upgrade over the incumbent SAM, Eli Harold, and would add insurance for both Foster and veteran linebacker Malcolm Smith.

Roquan Smith might be more natural at WILL, although his coverage skills are solid enough to assume duties on the other side.

Roquan Smith Defense & Fumbles Table
Tack Tack Tack Tack Tack Def Def Def Def Fumb
Year School Conf Class Pos G Solo Ast Tot Loss Sk Int Yds TD PD FR
*2015 Georgia SEC FR LB 10 9 11 20 1.5 0.0 0 0 0 0 0
*2016 Georgia SEC SO LB 13 52 43 95 5.0 0.0 0 0 0 1 1
*2017 Georgia SEC JR LB 15 85 52 137 14.0 6.5 0 0 0 2 2
Career Georgia 146 106 252 20.5 6.5 0 0 0 3 3

Provided by CFB at Sports Reference: View Original Table
Generated 2/16/2018.

Smith’s 2017 stats at Georgia propelled him to a Butkus Award, and grabbing him would be a win-win situation for San Francisco.

If Foster is out of the picture, Smith is more than capable of taking over. Yet if Foster is granted a return to the team, pairing Smith with Foster would make one of the most intriguing and intimidating linebacker tandems in the NFL.