2020 NFL Draft: 32-pick Round 1 mock with 49ers selecting twice
By Peter Panacy
829. . Safety. Crimson Tide . Xavier McKinney. 31. player
The 49ers re-signing safety Jimmie Ward shortly after free agency began seems to make this mocked NFL Draft selection of Alabama safety Xavier McKinney a bit redundant.
After all, the initial prognosis would be the Niners have to add a pure cornerback, then grab some offensive line help. With zero picks in Rounds 2, 3 and 4 of the NFL Draft, one has to think John Lynch will trade out from this selection, especially with some halfway-decent quarterbacks still on the board.
Assuming San Francisco stays put here, though, a McKinney-to-49ers selection still makes a lot of sense.
For starters, McKinney is versatile enough to play a number of spots within the secondary. And while boundary cornerback isn’t necessarily within his skill set, it is possible McKinney gets thrown into nickel duties.
Plus, the Niners could lose defensive backs Jaquiski Tartt and K’Waun Williams to free agency in 2021. McKinney can help fill either void.
McKinney falling in the draft also provides the opportunity for the Super Bowl-hopeful Niners to simply grab the best player available.
In this case, that player is McKinney.