49ers mock NFL Draft: 5 first-round targets for San Francisco

The 49ers don’t have a first-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, but that doesn’t mean they’ll avoid eye-balling some potential talent in the round.

The Miami Dolphins have to be celebrating every San Francisco 49ers loss in 2021. And at 2-4, the Niners’ previously owned first-round NFL Draft pick for 2022 has gone from a selection likely in the late 20s (perhaps even the 30s) to one that could potentially fall into the top 10.

Unless San Francisco suddenly figures out how to turn things around.

Maybe that would involve playing the player who cost this particular first-round pick, quarterback Trey Lance, but that’s a decision for head coach Kyle Shanahan.

At any rate, and sans a Round 1 selection in 2022, there are still a number of first-round prospects Shanahan and general manager John Lynch could be interested in this upcoming spring. The 49ers may not have the draft capital to execute a lofty trade-up back into the first round, but there’s always the possibility in an attempt to retool what’s been a frustrating roster.

And as anyone who has watched a couple of drafts knows well, even mid-Round 1 talent can slip into Round 2. It happens every year.

Here are five first-round 2022 NFL Draft prospects who should pique the Niners’ interest.

49ers NFL Draft Target No. 5: Wide Receiver John Metchie, Alabama

What’s happened with San Francisco’s second-year wide receiver, Brandon Aiyuk, this season has been a complete mystery. Despite flashing his rookie season, Aiyuk either finds himself in Shanahan’s doghouse or has completely disappeared from whatever the 49ers offense has tried to muster despite its own struggles.

If Aiyuk is on an inevitable path of flaming out, not unlike what the Niners saw between 2018 and 2020 with now-New York Giants wideout Dante Pettis, it then shouldn’t be shocking at all to see Shanahan looking at yet another wide receiver to add to the mix early.

Perhaps this is how Alabama wide receiver John Metchie works his way into the fray.

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Generated 10/26/2021.

Metchie hasn’t exactly evolved into the perfect replacement for now-Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver DeVonta Smith, which is probably why the former is on the fringes of Rounds 1 and 2.

That said, the 6-foot-0, 195-pound receiver is a polished route runner with room to add some bulk to his frame.

If San Francisco decides to give up on Aiyuk but still wants to surround Lance with weaponry, adding Metchie wouldn’t be a bad move.

49ers NFL Draft Target No. 4: EDGE Adam Anderson, Georgia

It’s almost miraculous the 49ers saw the relatively healthy return of No. 2 edge rusher Dee Ford this season after last year resulted in a back injury many thought could end his pro career.

While Ford has been productive in 2021, he’s still played on a limited basis. And the Niners reworked his contract anyway, essentially giving themselves a relatively cheap out in 2022.

Should San Francisco pursue this, it’s hard to envision John Lynch steering clear of what’s been a team focal point since 2017: being strong along the defensive line. Finding another EDGE to pair with their Pro Bowler, Nick Bosa, is probably going to be another top item on Lynch’s to-do list.

There are a number of middle-of-the-pack EDGEs in this year’s draft class, but there are others who are also dangling towards the end of the first round.

One of them is top-ranked Georgia EDGE Adam Anderson.

Over the Bulldogs’ first six games, Anderson exploded out like a cannon, registering five sacks and five tackles for a loss. In terms of tenacity, violence and pass-rush moves, Anderson has them all.

The big question, though, is Anderson’s frame. At 6-foot-5 and 230 pounds, Anderson is a bit undersized and could be viewed as something of a tweener. This could be negated a bit if the 49ers keep their Wide-9 defensive alignment, which allows for speed over pure size anyway.

But as far as the rest of the tools go, Anderson has them.

49ers NFL Draft Target No. 3: EDGE Kingsley Enagbare, South Carolina

Sticking with the theme of the Niners using their first pick on a defensive lineman, because that’s what they’ve done in three of the five NFL Drafts with John Lynch at the helm, another potential first-round target the team could go after is South Carolina EDGE Kingsley Enagbare.

Deciding between Enagbare and Adam Anderson might be a matter of preference. Anderson is the more explosive pass-rusher, whereas Enagbare has the more natural build for an outside rushing job and someone who could be designated as more of a true defensive end.

At 6-foot-5 and 265 pounds, Enagbare has worked himself squarely into the first-round discussion after getting off to a solid start his senior season.

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Generated 10/26/2021.

Going back and looking at what he did versus Georgia should be commended, too. If anything, those efforts could potentially push Enagbare into a spot where a would-be San Francisco trade-up or hopeful prospect fall into Round 2 could never happen.

The 49ers could possibly hope, though.

49ers NFL Draft Target No. 2: Wide Receiver Drake London, USC

Even if the Niners are able to turn Brandon Aiyuk’s career around sooner than later, John Lynch and Kyle Shanahan shouldn’t completely avoid restocking the wide receiver room altogether.

Both because of the lack of proven depth and the need to surround Trey Lance with weapons.

At some point, teams simply need to gamble on sheer specimen-like players, and few epitomize that more than USC wide receiver Drake London, who at 6-foot-5 and 210 pounds, has the build of a lean tight end with the yards-after-the-catch ability primed to thrive in Shanahan’s offense.

True, a preferred Shanahan-type wideout might be Ohio State’s Chris Olave, who has the speed necessary to get behind defenses.

But even looking at the surface-level stats of London, it’d be hard not to get excited about the idea of adding London to San Francisco’s offense:

Provided by CFB at Sports Reference
Generated 10/26/2021.

At best, a player like London won’t slip any further than the late 20s of the 2022 NFL Draft, meaning the 49ers would have to act aggressively if they wanted to target him.

But if fortune favors the bold, London’s long-term potential could certainly make it worthwhile.

49ers NFL Draft Target No. 1: Cornerback Trent McDuffie, Washington

If we’re being truly honest here, the No. 1 position the Niners should focus on in the 2022 draft is cornerback.

Unless they’re content trying out retread veterans like Josh Norman and Dre Kirkpatrick, the results of which in 2021 haven’t exactly worked out well. And neither did the hope cornerback Jason Verrett would stay healthy after doing so the previous year.

Of the two corners San Francisco drafted this season, Ambry Thomas and Deommodore Lenoir, only the latter has shown any sign of making an impact, and even he has been limited in field time, suggesting the 49ers may need to go back to the proverbial drawing board at this position of need.

Read More: 4 needs 49ers must address in 2022 NFL Draft

Atop that drawing “big board,” the Niners would be wise to place Washington cornerback Trent McDuffie, who is probably going to be in that safe aggressive trade-up range at the highest and could potentially slip into the early stages of Round 2.

If he falls, it’s likely due to his smallish 5-foot-11 and 195-pound frame, which could deter some teams that want bigger-bodied options instead. But San Francisco has moved towards employing smaller boundary cornerbacks, so this shouldn’t be an issue.

And it certainly hasn’t stopped McDuffie this season, as he has three pass breakups over six games in a pass-happy Pac-12 conference.