Ranking SF 49ers 10 worst NFL Draft picks by John Lynch, Kyle Shanahan
By Peter Panacy
No team’s front office is immune to NFL Draft mistakes, and the SF 49ers have their share of gaffes under John Lynch and Kyle Shanahan.
Teams never get 100 percent of their picks from the NFL Draft correct 100 percent of the time. It’s impossible.
So one has to at least acknowledge the positive additions the SF 49ers have made since 2017 under general manager John Lynch and head coach Kyle Shanahan. After all, the Niners netted arguably the biggest steal of the 2017 NFL Draft, tight end George Kittle, in Round 5 that year.
The following year, the SF 49ers made All-Pro linebacker Fred Warner the selection in Round 3. Then San Francisco wisely grabbed EDGE Nick Bosa at No. 2 overall in the 2019 draft, and it’s looking like wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk is becoming a lock for the “great pick” category after he burst onto the scene in 2020.
But for every Bosa, Kittle and Aiyuk out there, there are some equally perplexing and/or disappointing selections.
Kittle made the 2017 draft worthwhile. The SF 49ers’ other selections were, for the most part, underwhelming that year, to say the least, while 2018 wasn’t exactly dominant outside of Warner.
If you’re looking for Lynch and Shanahan’s best draft picks since 2017, all you need to do is check out this list.
For the pessimist, we’ve got you covered with Lynch and Shanahan’s 10 worst picks to date.
No. 10: SF 49ers Right Tackle Mike McGlinchey
Selected No. 9 Overall in the 2018 NFL Draft
Some may argue the opening spot on this list of not-so-great picks should go to slot receiver Trent Taylor, who was grabbed in Round 5 of the 2017 draft. But injuries thwarted what could have been a budding career, and the lack of noteworthy expectations from fifth-round picks halts that to a point.
As such, the No. 10 player here is right tackle Mike McGlinchey, who was the Niners’ opening selection in the 2018 NFL Draft.
McGlinchey was something of a shocking selection since San Francisco already had a starting-caliber right tackle, Trent Brown, in place. But Shanahan wanted a better run-blocker and got one with McGlinchey.
Yes, McGlinchey is still one of the league’s better run-blocking lineman, and that’s a boost. But the SF 49ers intended for him to take over for left tackle Joe Staley when the latter retired. The fact McGlinchey remains entrenched at right tackle a year after Staley’s retirement is an indicator those hopes have been dashed.
While McGlinchey has emerged as a decent enough player, the fact the Niners passed on other top performers like safeties Minkah Fitzpatrick and Derwin James makes this selection a bit more painful and a solid opener for this particular list.