49ers 7-round mock NFL Draft after first wave of free agency
By Peter Panacy
The 49ers made some necessary moves in NFL free agency, which shakes things up a bit as far as their 2021 draft plans will go.
Before the San Francisco 49ers inked left tackle Trent Williams to a record-breaking six-year, $138 million extension at the very beginning of NFL free agency, one could easily assume a plug-and-play offensive tackle was high atop general manager John Lynch’s needs in the upcoming NFL Draft this April.
But with Williams locked down, that need diminishes towards the very bottom of the priority list.
Additionally, the Niners reinforced their offensive line by adding veteran center Alex Mack, while re-signing fullback Kyle Juszczyk and two of their cornerbacks, Emmanuel Moseley and Jason Verrett. San Francisco also plucked EDGE Samson Ebukam from the Los Angeles Rams to help out with its pass-rushing needs.
With most, if not all of the 49ers’ big-name free-agent moves likely complete, Lynch and his staff will now shift focus towards using their nine total selections in the NFL Draft, including the No. 12 selection overall.
Needless to say, the Niners’ free agency moves have shaken things up a bit since Niner Noise’s last mock draft. The offensive line isn’t much of a priority anymore, and cornerback seems a bit less pressing than it was at the beginning of March.
Still, there are some notable question marks behind San Francisco’s short- and long-term intentions, so let’s dive in again with our first post-free agency kickoff mock draft. To do so, let’s use our friendly Fanspeak mock-draft simulator tool to break down each of the 49ers’ selections.
Kicking things off with a bang in Round 1.