Niner Noise
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San Francisco 49ers: Final 7-round mock before the 2018 NFL Draft

By Peter Panacy

NEW YORK, NY - APRIL 28: NFL Commissoner Roger Goodell greets Aldon Smith, #7 overall pick by the San Francisco 49ers, during the 2011 NFL Draft at Radio City Music Hall on April 28, 2011 in New York City. (Photo by Chris Trotman/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY - APRIL 28: NFL Commissoner Roger Goodell greets Aldon Smith, #7 overall pick by the San Francisco 49ers, during the 2011 NFL Draft at Radio City Music Hall on April 28, 2011 in New York City. (Photo by Chris Trotman/Getty Images) /
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INDIANAPOLIS, IN – MARCH 01: Notre Dame offensive lineman Quenton Nelson speaks to the media during NFL Combine press conferences at the Indiana Convention Center on March 1, 2018 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
INDIANAPOLIS, IN – MARCH 01: Notre Dame offensive lineman Quenton Nelson speaks to the media during NFL Combine press conferences at the Indiana Convention Center on March 1, 2018 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images) /

. Offensive Guard. Notre Dame. Quenton Nelson. 9. player. 42

It was a bit weird to see Notre Dame offensive guard Quenton Nelson fall beyond a team like the Chicago Bears at No. 8.

But he did. And as Niner Noise’s Joseph Naki pointed out earlier, Nelson is one of those players the 49ers simply can’t pass up if he falls that far. To put things simply, if Nelson falls to No. 9, San Francisco’s NFL Draft delegation will look like this when delivering their selection to the podium:

The 49ers have three starting-caliber players at guard entering 2018 — Laken Tomlinson, Joshua Garnett and Jonathan Cooper. But just because they have starter’s experience, it doesn’t mean the Niners want to avoid upgrading here.

Nelson is easily the best offensive lineman in this year’s draft class, so it’s a no-brainer to grab him here.

Especially when looking at a team like the Los Angeles Rams, who boast interior defenders Ndamukong Suh and Aaron Donald, whom the 49ers will face twice this upcoming year.

Nelson, a day-one starter, alleviates that worry quite a bit. And he immediately serves to protect the team’s No. 1 asset, Jimmy Garoppolo, for a long time.