Niner Noise
FanSided

Redrafting the 49ers’ 2017 NFL Draft class two years later

By Peter Panacy

Solomon Thomas of Stanford with Commissioner Roger Goodell after being picked by the San Francisco 49ers (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
Solomon Thomas of Stanford with Commissioner Roger Goodell after being picked by the San Francisco 49ers (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images) /
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CHARLOTTE, NC – DECEMBER 17: Alvin Kamara #41 of the New Orleans Saints reacts against the Carolina Panthers in the fourth quarter during their game at Bank of America Stadium on December 17, 2018 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)
CHARLOTTE, NC – DECEMBER 17: Alvin Kamara #41 of the New Orleans Saints reacts against the Carolina Panthers in the fourth quarter during their game at Bank of America Stadium on December 17, 2018 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images) /

Original Pick: Ahkello Witherspoon

At the time, grabbing cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon seemed to make a lot of sense. Remember that part about San Francisco having a bad secondary?

Well, it sure did in 2016 — the entire defense was terrible, to be honest — and finding a long-term cornerback was atop John Lynch’s plans in 2017.

The Witherspoon pick made sense. And after he secured the starting job a few weeks into his rookie year, it looked downright smart.

But Witherspoon regressed his second season. Sure, it’s too early to write him off completely, and it’s entirely possible he bounces back in 2019. Yet it’s hard to swallow the notion the 49ers could have grabbed now-New Orleans Saints running back Alvin Kamara, who went one spot later.

Chalk up two picks the Saints grabbed San Francisco gets in this redraft.

Kamara has emerged as one of the league’s top offensive weapons, and he would have been an electrifying player in Kyle Shanahan’s offense.

Instead, Shanahan waited until Round 4 to grab his running back, and that move didn’t go so well.