2019 NFL Draft: 5 options for the 49ers’ Round 2 pick

So much of what the 49ers do in Round 2 will be contingent on their first pick, of course. Even then, we can assume a handful of things this April.

San Francisco 49ers

The Niners will likely focus heavily on defense, given that was the team’s primary area of weakness. At all three levels, too.

Assuming San Francisco uses its first pick to address the defensive front (EDGE or defensive tackle), it wouldn’t be overly shocking to see the next pick go to one of only a number of quality inside linebackers. The pick here, of course, would be Alabama linebacker Mack Wilson — a player widely regarded as the second best inside backer behind LSU’s Devin White.

In fact, Wilson was Niner Noise’s Round 2 choice in our post-Super Bowl LIII mock draft.

The 49ers thought they were going to have a dynamic inside linebacker tandem between Fred Warner and Reuben Foster. But that was before Foster was released last November following his third arrest in 2018. In his place, the Niners inserted Elijah Lee, who performed well enough but is probably best relegated to backup and special teams duties moving forward.

And with veteran linebacker Malcolm Smith coming off another disappointing year with San Francisco, possibly one which forces him to be cap casualty, it wouldn’t be overly shocking to see the linebacker shortage addressed in Round 2.