2020 NFL Combine: 3 sleeper draft picks 49ers must watch
By Peter Panacy
With the 2020 NFL Scouting Combine kicking off on Feb. 23, the San Francisco 49ers should keep close tabs on these prospects who likely go on day three of the NFL Draft.
The San Francisco 49ers have limited assets in the 2020 NFL Draft, currently boasting only one pick — No. 31 overall — in the first four rounds.
It’s likely general manager John Lynch tries trading down out of that spot, opening the possibility of cashing in on some much-needed mid-round talent. Yet with a total of five picks — two each in Rounds 5 and 7, and another in Round 6 — Lynch should also be mindful of finding those proverbial “hidden gems” on day three of the draft itself.
After all, tight end George Kittle was a fifth-round pick in 2017, and nose tackle D.J. Jones was a sixth rounder the same year.
The 2020 NFL Scouting Combine kicks off on Sunday, Feb. 23 with workouts going through Monday, March 2. You can get a breakdown of the schedule of events here, which are divvied up by position.
The NFL invited a total of 337 players to the combine, and the majority of attention will rightfully fall on the most notable players, especially quarterbacks projected to go in Rounds 1 or 2. Top-tier wide receivers, of which there are many in this year’s class, should also garner a lot of attention.
Going back to those sleeper picks, however, the 49ers should be keenly interested in how some of the less-known prospects wind up performing during their combine workouts.
Granted, it’s tough gauging just how effective a player can be at the pro level simply by watching padless workouts without the context of an actual NFL game. Nevertheless, the information gained with relatively little third-party X-factors can be beneficial.
With that in mind, here are three late-round prospects who should be on San Francisco’s radar during the NFL Combine.