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5 rumors that could affect the 49ers in the 2019 NFL Draft

By Peter Panacy

PASADENA, CA - JANUARY 01: Dwayne Haskins #7 of the Ohio State Buckeyes speaks to the media after winning the Rose Bowl Game presented by Northwestern Mutual at the Rose Bowl on January 1, 2019 in Pasadena, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
PASADENA, CA - JANUARY 01: Dwayne Haskins #7 of the Ohio State Buckeyes speaks to the media after winning the Rose Bowl Game presented by Northwestern Mutual at the Rose Bowl on January 1, 2019 in Pasadena, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) /
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MIAMI, FL – DECEMBER 29: Kyler Murray #1 of the Oklahoma Sooners reacts after losing to the Alabama Crimson Tide in the College Football Playoff Semifinal at the Capital One Orange Bowl at Hard Rock Stadium on December 29, 2018 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
MIAMI, FL – DECEMBER 29: Kyler Murray #1 of the Oklahoma Sooners reacts after losing to the Alabama Crimson Tide in the College Football Playoff Semifinal at the Capital One Orange Bowl at Hard Rock Stadium on December 29, 2018 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images) /

There’s never a shortage of buzz and rumors leading up to the NFL Draft, and the San Francisco 49ers could be affected by the latest scuttlebutt leading up to Round 1.

Despite the countless hours put in by analysts and pundits, any NFL Draft won’t fall out the way it’s supposed to.

The 2019 NFL Draft will likely be no different. And while the San Francisco 49ers stand in excellent position with the No. 2 overall pick, there’s already enough speculation and NFL rumors to potentially shake up whatever general manager John Lynch is planning to do with the selection.

Perhaps the biggest is the recent report from CBS Sports’ Pete Prisco, which stated the No. 1 overall-drafting Arizona Cardinals are not going to select Oklahoma quarterback Kyler Murray to kick off this year’s draft, as many had previously speculated they would.

That’s a pretty big rumor, of course, and it carries a lot of weight in regards to San Francisco’s overall plans.

Keep in mind, however, there are plenty of rumors and false scuttlebutt leading up to the draft itself. A good deal is fed by agents looking to boost their prospects’ draft stocks, while scouts and other team executives can spread leaks for whatever ulterior motives.

Including the Murray news, here are five rumors which could have a significant impact on the 49ers in this year’s NFL Draft.

No. 5: Cardinals Passing on Kyler Murray?

Here is what Prisco had to say about Arizona no longer being interested in Murray:

"Initially, the ownership pushed for Kyler Murray. That much I know, I was told that. The reason they did is they are having a hard time selling tickets. Well, they put it out there. Arizona was lukewarm to it. All of a sudden, they are pulling back and from what I’ve been told, they are going to go in a different direction. They are not going to draft Kyler Murray."

There are those out there who don’t like Prisco, for sure, but he generally stays away from the hot takes and rumor-mill reaches. Unlike a few others, including a fellow CBS Sports insider, Prisco’s record for being wrong about these kinds of reports isn’t bad, so we’ll see.

Either way, this report opens up the very real possibility the Cardinals elect to take the NFL Draft’s top prospect, Ohio State EDGE Nick Bosa, who has widely been mocked to the 49ers for months now.

Should that happen, Lynch and the Niners may simply elect to grab the next best player, Alabama defensive tackle Quinnen Williams, or possibly trade down from the No. 2 overall spot if another team is willing to give up a lucrative package deal in exchange.

At least San Francisco stays in a pretty good situation if Bosa goes No. 1 overall.