Niner Noise
FanSided

San Francisco 49ers: Creating the ideal starting lineup for 2018

By Peter Panacy

LOS ANGELES, CA - DECEMBER 31: Quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo #10 of the San Francisco 49ers congratulates Marquise Goodwin #11 of the San Francisco 49ers after scoring a touchdown during the first quarter against Los Angeles Rams at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on December 31, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - DECEMBER 31: Quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo #10 of the San Francisco 49ers congratulates Marquise Goodwin #11 of the San Francisco 49ers after scoring a touchdown during the first quarter against Los Angeles Rams at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on December 31, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images) /
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BLACKSBURG, VA – SEPTEMBER 24: Linebacker Tremaine Edmunds #49 of the Virginia Tech Hokies prepares to hit quarterback Philip Nelson #9 of the East Carolina Pirates in the first half at Lane Stadium on September 24, 2016 in Blacksburg, Virginia. (Photo by Michael Shroyer/Getty Images)
BLACKSBURG, VA – SEPTEMBER 24: Linebacker Tremaine Edmunds #49 of the Virginia Tech Hokies prepares to hit quarterback Philip Nelson #9 of the East Carolina Pirates in the first half at Lane Stadium on September 24, 2016 in Blacksburg, Virginia. (Photo by Michael Shroyer/Getty Images) /

Linebacker

MIKE: Reuben Foster

WILL: Malcolm Smith

SAM: Tremaine Edmunds

The situation with linebacker Reuben Foster is dicey at best, and there’s no guarantee the 49ers keep him around after his second offseason arrest. The second, of course, being much more serious than the first.

It’s likely he’ll face at least a six-game suspension from the NFL if retained, though, and the Niners will have to plan accordingly. Yet this is a best-case scenario piece, however, which would obviously include Foster being on the field.

San Francisco gets some reinforcements in veteran linebacker Malcolm Smith, who missed all of 2017 with a pectoral injury. John Lynch noted Smith’s recovery is on schedule and he should be able to “go full bore” when offseason programs commence.

Smith gets pegged at the weak-side linebacker, where he won’t be as responsible for coverage duties.

The kicker, of course, would be finding a strong-side linebacker. Here is where the NFL Draft comes into play.

A name to target is Virginia Tech’s Tremaine Edmunds who, at 6-foot-5 and 250 pounds, would be an excellent option to upgrade the incumbent, Eli Harold.

As Niners Wire’s Chris Biderman pointed out, the SAM spot appears to be Edmunds’ perfect fit over the long run.

So, there you have it — San Francisco’s first overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft.