Sports Illustrated mocks a tackle to 49ers in post-combine NFL Draft

The San Francisco 49ers seem likely to grab a wide receiver or defensive back early in the 2020 NFL Draft, but Sports Illustrated has the Niners going a different route, grabbing an offensive tackle instead.

In 2018, the San Francisco 49ers went with an out-of-the-box move and selected now-starting right tackle Mike McGlinchey with the No. 9 overall pick in that year’s NFL Draft.

Many thought the Niners would have gone with a linebacker or pass-rusher, yet McGlinchey was the selection.

Now, with the 2020 NFL Draft less than two months away, the thought is general manager John Lynch will target a wide receiver, cornerback or safety with the team’s top pick, No. 31 overall, if he and the 49ers don’t trade out of the selection. After all, San Francisco has needs at those three spots this offseason.

But that’s not what Sports Illustrated’s Kevin Hanson thinks.

Hanson dished out a post-NFL Scouting Combine mock, and he has the Niners making yet another out-of-the-box selection, USC offensive tackle Austin Jackson:

"With no picks in Rounds 2 to 4, the 49ers will likely look to trade back from this spot to acquire more picks. If they don’t trade back, finding a long-term replacement for Joe Staley makes sense even though John Lynch expects him to return for one more season. Jackson is an athletic left tackle prospect that would fit well with what Kyle Shanahan wants from his offensive linemen."

Interesting.

Granted, the 49ers’ offseason needs are highly contingent on what Lynch does with namely three of their top pending free agents, defensive end Arik Armstead, safety Jimmie Ward and wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders. But going after an offensive tackle so early doesn’t seemingly address more pressing needs.

Why Austin Jackson Makes Sense for the 49ers

The basis for taking Jackson is something Hanson described, finding an heir apparent for Staley, or at least someone to fill in for McGlinchey if he moves to the left side of the offensive line. Staley will turn 36 years old before the start of the regular season.

And while he’s signed through 2021, there’s a real chance he has just one more year under his belt.

Jackson is a mover, adept enough to head coach Kyle Shanahan’s outside-zone blocking scheme and can hold his own in pass protection against upper-level pass-rushers.

The draft is also deep at wide receiver and cornerback, possibly meaning San Francisco can look to its day-three picks to help those needs.

Why Austin Jackson Doesn’t Make Sense

Even if the Niners re-sign Armstead, Ward and Sanders, there are other more pressing needs the 49ers should immediately address before thinking about an offensive lineman.

Cornerback, however, is easily a bigger need than the O-line. While San Francisco has the veteran, Richard Sherman, under contract for one more season, it’s anyone’s guess whether or not the 49ers want to re-sign or extend the soon-to-be 32 year old beyond 2020.

And with fellow corners Ahkello Witherspoon and Emmanuel Moseley not having locked down a starting role, along with the notion young defensive backs take time to adjust to NFL-level play, it’s not hard to understand why cornerback should be high atop the Niners’ draft to-do list.

There’s the trade-down idea, too, which SI modestly addressed by acknowledging the lack of picks. Outside of that, however, one might look at depth offensive lineman Daniel Brunskill as a dark-horse candidate to possibly replace Staley.

Brunskill started seven games for San Francisco as a fill-in lineman last season, including holding down the left tackle spot for Staley at times. And by nearly all accounts, Brunskill performed well enough to at least earn some consideration.

If the 49ers have that option, going with an O-lineman so early in the draft seems like a luxury the Niners can’t quite afford to take.

The 2020 NFL Draft kicks off on Thursday, April 23.