49ers final 7-round mock NFL Draft ahead of 2021 free agency
By Peter Panacy
Free agency will affect what the 49ers do in the NFL Draft. But based on what we know now, let’s mock it out over the full seven rounds.
The San Francisco 49ers‘ case with Pro Bowl left tackle Trent Williams is a prime example of how free agency can have an immediate impact on what the team needs to do in the NFL Draft.
If the Niners re-sign the pending free agent, a starting-caliber offensive tackle no longer becomes a need on draft day. But if San Francisco isn’t comfortable dishing out a lucrative contract that could be worth approximately $20 million annually for Williams, suddenly the 49ers’ top pick in the draft becomes much more heavily skewed towards an offensive tackle.
What happens with Williams will essentially be the difference between, let’s say, the Niners targeting Alabama cornerback Patrick Surtain II or Northwestern offensive lineman Rashawn Slater in Round 1, should those two prospects be atop general manager John Lynch’s big board.
With the addition of two compensatory selections, San Francisco now has 10 picks in total including the No. 12 overall pick.
But with so many unknowns in free agency still pending, let’s take a look at one final mock NFL Draft before NFL free agency officially kicks off on March 17, using our trusty FanSpeak mock-draft tool for all seven rounds.
player. 829. . Cornerback. Crimson Tide . Patrick Surtain II. 12
Round 1, Pick No. 12 Overall: 49ers select cornerback Patrick Surtain II, Alabama
Not too big a shocker here, as the Niners still wind up in the range to grab Surtain with their top pick in Round 1.
Despite San Francisco re-signing cornerback Emmanuel Moseley to a two-year deal, there’s still plenty of room for a youth infusion, particularly if starting corners Richard Sherman and Jason Verrett hit the open market. Right there, two voids are created in the starting lineup, and Moseley only fills one of them.
This would also assume Williams comes back, too, although that deal could easily push players like Verrett and possibly nickel cornerback K’Waun Williams off the priority list, as far as the 49ers’ cap room is concerned.
Still, Surtain is possibly going to be the top corner selected this April (it’s either between him or Virginia Tech’s Caleb Farley). There’s also little doubt about Surtain being a plug-and-play option, too, which would alleviate the many roster concerns the Niners have at cornerback heading into 2021.