2020 NFL Draft: 3 out-of-box picks 49ers could make in Round 1

The San Francisco 49ers likely target a wide receiver or defensive back in Round 1 of the 2020 NFL Draft if they don’t trade down. But what about some other out-of-the-box options?

In all likelihood, the San Francisco 49ers will go after a wide receiver, a cornerback or a safety with their second first-round pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, especially if general manager John Lynch decides to stay put at No. 31 overall after picking up the No. 13 overall pick from the Indianapolis Colts after trading defensive tackle DeForest Buckner.

This makes sense. The Niners could lose veteran wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders to free agency, while veteran cornerback Richard Sherman will soon turn 32 years old and is entering a contract year, and there isn’t a lot of proven depth behind him.

Yet the draft is awfully deep at both wide receiver and cornerback. There are also some decent day-two options at safety, should San Francisco feel comfortable about eventually replacing recently re-signed safety Jimmie Ward via that route.

And while the 49ers don’t have a ton of needs this offseason, multiple positions on both sides of the ball could either stand for some decent upgrades or solid developmental depth.

In 2018, the Niners went with an unorthodox pick in Round 1, grabbing former Notre Dame offensive tackle Mike McGlinchey with the ninth overall selection in that year’s draft. Before Round 1 kicked off, many a fan and analyst thought Lynch would grab a defensive back, like Derwin James, or linebacker Roquan Smith.

The 49ers didn’t follow the speculation.

McGlinchey points to the ever-present possibility San Francisco could do something out of the realm of predictability again, grabbing a prospect not exactly linked to the Niners’ most-pressing needs.

Here are three out-of-the-box picks 2020 NFL Draft picks Lynch and Co. could make with the team’s back-end Round 1 pick this April.