Niner Noise
FanSided

San Francisco 49ers: 3 biggest remaining questions following the 2018 NFL Draft

By Peter Panacy

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell announces a draft pick by the San Francisco 49ers (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell announces a draft pick by the San Francisco 49ers (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images) /
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LOS ANGELES, CA – DECEMBER 31: Carlos Hyde #28 of the San Francisco 49ers follows his blocker Laken Tomlinson #75 of the San Francisco 49ers as he rushes for a gain against Los Angeles Rams during the second quarter at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on December 31, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA – DECEMBER 31: Carlos Hyde #28 of the San Francisco 49ers follows his blocker Laken Tomlinson #75 of the San Francisco 49ers as he rushes for a gain against Los Angeles Rams during the second quarter at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on December 31, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images) /

No. 1: San Francisco’s Guard Play

Heading into training camp, the 49ers will have three starting-caliber players ready to compete for two first-team guard spots — Laken Tomlinson, Joshua Garnett and Jonathan Cooper.

San Francisco 49ers
San Francisco 49ers /

San Francisco 49ers

All three are former first-round draft picks, which would lead one to believe the Niners have quality options from which to choose. Yet Garnett missed all of 2017 with a knee injury and was asked to reshape his body to be a better scheme fit for head coach Kyle Shanahan. Cooper, also oft-injured, finds himself on his fourth team in as many years.

Tomlinson, despite a relatively poor start to his San Francisco tenure, actually finished 2017 on a decent note, per Pro Football Focus.

Granted, Shanahan’s offense is predicated more on good tackle and center play than at guard. So this worry might not seem as pressing, especially after drafting Mike McGlinchey and bringing aboard center Weston Richburg in free agency.

But considering the Niners’ offensive line finished 18th in pass protection last year, per Football Outsiders, one can see protecting quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo against inside pass-rushers could be a problem.

Especially when San Francisco has to square off with elite interior pass-rushers, like the Los Angeles Rams’ Aaron Donald and Ndamukong Suh twice a year.