Niner Noise
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5 dark-horse prospects the 49ers could grab in Round 1 of the 2019 NFL Draft

By Peter Panacy

BATON ROUGE, LA - SEPTEMBER 09: Andraez Williams #29 of the LSU Tigers celebrates an interception with Ed Paris #21 during the first half of a game against the Chattanooga Mocs at Tiger Stadium on September 9, 2017 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images)
BATON ROUGE, LA - SEPTEMBER 09: Andraez Williams #29 of the LSU Tigers celebrates an interception with Ed Paris #21 during the first half of a game against the Chattanooga Mocs at Tiger Stadium on September 9, 2017 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images) /
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ORLANDO, FL – SEPTEMBER 01: Deionte Thompson #14 of the Alabama Crimson Tide intercepts a pass in the end zone intended for Jaylen Smith #9 of the Louisville Cardinals in the second quarter of the game at Camping World Stadium on September 1, 2018 in Orlando, Florida. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
ORLANDO, FL – SEPTEMBER 01: Deionte Thompson #14 of the Alabama Crimson Tide intercepts a pass in the end zone intended for Jaylen Smith #9 of the Louisville Cardinals in the second quarter of the game at Camping World Stadium on September 1, 2018 in Orlando, Florida. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images) /

Armed with the No. 2 overall pick, the San Francisco 49ers are widely assumed to take a top-tier pass-rusher early in the 2019 NFL Draft. But what if they don’t and go with one of these dark-horse prospects instead?

Yes, the San Francisco 49ers are almost entirely likely going with an outside pass-rusher with their first selection in the 2019 NFL Draft. Or, just as plausible, they’ll target Alabama defensive tackle Quinnen Williams, who is widely viewed as the second best prospect in this year’s draft class behind Ohio State EDGE Nick Bosa.

Armed with the No. 2 overall pick on April 25, the Niners should have a relatively straightforward choice to make and can simply address the team’s biggest shortcoming: the pass rush.

But what if general manager John Lynch and Co. elect to go a different route and grab someone few pundits and analysts, if any, projected?

It happened last year to an extent. While many a 49ers mock tabbed now-Los Angeles Chargers safety Derwin James or now-Chicago Bears linebacker Roquan Smith to San Francisco at No. 9, Lynch elected to grab then-Notre Dame offensive tackle Mike McGlinchey with his team’s first selection.

McGlinchey was a dark-horse selection, sure. But the move made more sense the following day when the Niners moved right tackle Trent Brown to the New England Patriots via a trade.

So, that prompts the question: Is there the possibility of another dark-horse candidate emerging for San Francisco’s first pick in 2019?

Probably not. But we have to entertain the idea of a trade-down scenario from No. 2 overall, which opens up an entirely new slew of possibilities for the 49ers’ top selection.

And it opens up some dark-horse picks, too. Here are five of them.