San Francisco 49ers: Dos and don’ts for the 2020 NFL Draft

49ers Don’ts for the NFL Draft

Every general manager makes mistakes, and one could argue John Lynch has made some of his as well. Case in point, the 49ers’ selection of defensive end Solomon Thomas at No. 3 overall in the 2017 NFL Draft stings a lot, given Thomas never living up to his draft status and the fact now-Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes was sitting available.

Things like that happen, though, and the best GMs try avoiding the mistakes as much as possible.

So if Lynch wants to avoid any pitfalls in the draft, he shouldn’t do these following things.

Don’t Trade Up in the First Two Rounds

The Niners could be enticed to move up a spot or two in Round 1, either from No. 13 or No. 31 overall if there’s a prospect Lynch and head coach Kyle Shanahan completely like.

Yet San Francisco is short on draft capital anyway, lacking picks in Rounds 2 through 4, currently. Lynch needs to add capital, not sell it off.

It’s not just about the draft capital, rather it’s more about the 49ers finding some quality mid-round players who can contribute right away on rookie contracts.

Remember, the 49ers need to extend players like tight end George Kittle, and that won’t come cheap. It’s time to maximize as many rookie contracts as possible.

Don’t Lock In on One Wide Receiver

Oklahoma’s CeeDee Lamb, and Alabama’s Jerry Jeudy and Henry Ruggs III are all in play for San Francisco at No. 13 overall. While the New York Jets and Las Vegas Raiders — selecting at Nos. 11 and 12, respectively — pick ahead of the Niners and have their own receiving needs, the 49ers can’t afford to totally lock in on one of those particular names.

Instead, the smarter plan would be to let one of those names come to San Francisco or at least pass on the position until later in the round.

Don’t Overlook the Offensive Line

Potentially losing Joe Staley would hurt. Even if Staley commits to 2020, though, the Niners would be foolish to completely avoid reinforcing the offensive line.

Staley will turn 36 years old before the start of the regular season. And there’s an opening at right guard, likely split between Tom Compton and Daniel Brunskill. That’s a spot which could stand for an upgrade, and a long-term replacement for Staley certainly has to be in the cards.

Remember, O-lines take time to jell, especially in Shanahan’s complex offense. The sooner San Francisco can work in a potential replacement, the better.

Don’t Pass on DeForest Buckner’s Replacement

The 49ers defensive line is still deep in the wake of trading DeForest Buckner, yes. And while the Niners could go with a rotation up front, one of the two names at his position could potentially make a way to San Francisco: Auburn’s Derrick Brown and South Carolina’s Javon Kinlaw.

Kinlaw is the more likely of the two, as Brown looks to be a lock as a top-10 pick.

Passing on Kinlaw, a player whom NBC Sports Bay Area’s Matt Maiocco called potentially the “49ers’ next star D-lineman,” if available, could be a major miss for San Francisco.