49ers news: OTC predicts Niners get 2 comp picks in 2022

Despite some major offseason wheeling and dealing, the 49ers are still expected to net a positive in compensatory picks in the 2022 NFL Draft.

The San Francisco 49ers made good use of their compensatory selections in the 2021 NFL Draft, first using a third-round selection from the New York Jets’ hiring of former defensive coordinator Robert Saleh as head coach on Michigan cornerback Ambry Thomas, then bringing aboard USC safety Talanoa Hufanga with their other comp pick in the fifth round.

With all the pending free agents the Niners had entering this offseason, one would figure general manager John Lynch and Co. would wind up with a net positive in compensatory selections for the 2022 NFL Draft.

And even after San Francisco brought aboard free agents like center Alex Mack and EDGE Samson Ebukam, the team is still looking like it’ll receive even more comp picks a year from now.

The folks over at Over the Cap recently put together a list of predicted compensatory selections for the 2022 NFL Draft. While the league’s formula at determining qualifying comp picks is both complex and secretive, OTC has tended to be pretty accurate with its own predictions. Case in point, OTC accurately predicted the 49ers would receive a fifth-round comp pick for wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders‘ free-agent departure in 2020 to the New Orleans Saints.

OTC’s prediction for the Niners in 2022? Two more comp picks.

OTC predicts 49ers receive 2 compensatory picks for 2022 NFL Draft

Very few of the predicted 2022 compensatory selections are being designated for Rounds 3 or 4. As OTC pointed out, the reasoning behind this is likely the diminished salary cap this year because of the pandemic, which cut into the sheer number of qualifying free-agent deals that would otherwise net higher comp picks to teams losing players.

So, in San Francisco’s case, the two projected comp selections are going to be late on day three, both seventh-round picks for the free-agent losses of defensive ends Solomon Thomas and Kerry Hyder to the Las Vegas Raiders and Seattle Seahawks, respectively.

Quarterback C.J. Beathard, who signed an offseason deal with the Jacksonville Jaguars, was over the 32-pick limit, according to OTC’s predictions, and therefore doesn’t qualify.

Currently, the 49ers have seven projected picks for the 2022 NFL Draft, missing their Round 1 pick in the wake of trading up to No. 3 overall in this year’s draft for quarterback Trey Lance, which also cost a third-round compensatory selection next year.

Including the two comp picks, the projection for the Niners is as follows:

• Round 2 (own)
• Round 3 (own)
• Round 4 (own)
• Round 5 (own)
• Round 7 (own)
• Round 7 (compensatory)
• Round 7 (compensatory)

There’s always the possibility Lynch uses some of those late day-three picks to trade up earlier in previous rounds, although the Round 7 value isn’t exactly much.

Unless Lynch and Co. capitalize on some more draft “diamonds in the rough.”