49ers 7-round mock NFL Draft with Super Bowl 56 in the books

With Super Bowl 56 now complete, Niner Noise looks at the 49ers’ options in the 2022 NFL Draft and churns out another seven-round mock.

The San Francisco 49ers were within minutes of making it to Super Bowl 56, missing out only because of yet another fourth-quarter collapse and the shortcomings of quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo.

Instead, the Los Angeles Rams are hoisting the Lombardi Trophy after beating the Niners in the NFC Championship game, then going on to defeat the Cincinnati Bengals 23-20 on Super Bowl Sunday, essentially putting all the chatter surrounding San Francisco’s previous six-game win streak over LA to bed.

With the offseason now in full swing, the focus for general manager John Lynch, head coach Kyle Shanahan and Co. will be to improve upon what was still an awesome 2021 campaign for the 49ers, yet it’ll likely include an offseason where Garoppolo is traded amid a lackluster market for available quarterbacks.

The Niners, without a first-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, will seek to restock their draft capital in the wake of last spring’s trade-up for Jimmy G’s heir apparent, Trey Lance.

While there are plenty of teams possibly interested in Garoppolo’s services in 2022, a recent report suggests the Washington Commanders might “justify” using the 11th overall pick in a trade with San Francisco for Garoppolo.

Perhaps a little lofty, that could be how the market plays out. So, with that in the light, let’s set the stage for Niner Noise’s latest seven-round 49ers mock draft with Garoppolo being traded to Washington this offseason.

49ers kick off 2022 offseason by trading Jimmy Garoppolo

The Niners currently have a projected nine picks in the 2022 NFL Draft, including four compensatory selections — three in Round 7 and another in Round 3, thanks to former offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel being hired as the Miami Dolphins’ head coach:

• Round 2, No. 61 overall
• Round 3, No. 93 overall
• Round 3, Compensatory
• Round 4, No. 132 overall
• Round 5, No. 171 overall
• Round 6, No. 185 overall (from Broncos)
• Round 7, No. 252 overall (compensatory)
• Round 7, No. 255 overall (compensatory)
• Round 7, No. 262 overall (compensatory)

Washington emerging as a late front-runner for Jimmy Garoppolo is something of a shock, but John Lynch getting a first-round pick would be a total steal regardless.

Although San Francisco might have to include some day-three excess draft capital to sweeten the return.

The 49ers tossing in a sixth- and a seventh-round selection, helps offset a would-be reach by the Commanders grabbing Garoppolo for a first-round pick, at least to a small point.

For the Niners, however, it’s still a great deal and one they’ll happily use to address a key position of need.

Now, to jump into our mock draft, we’ll use Pro Football Focus’ mock tool.

Round 1, Pick No. 11 Overall (from Commanders): OL Tyler Linderbaum, Iowa

Grabbing offensive linemen early in the NFL Draft isn’t particularly sexy a move. But San Francisco should have taken note from the previous two Super Bowls, including the Rams’ formidable defensive line — a unit the 49ers face twice a year — chewing up the Bengals offensive line to the tune of seven sacks, with the realization a strong O-line can be the difference between reaching the championship and falling well short.

The Niners could easily lose Pro Bowl left guard Laken Tomlinson to free agency this offseason, and the early signs of 2021 second-round rookie Aaron Banks haven’t been promising for a long-term replacement.

Plus, veteran center Alex Mack has been mulling retirement and will likely need to be replaced soon at this stage of his career anyway.

Kyle Shanahan has long loved Iowa’s offense, onboarding former Hawkeyes in quarterback C.J. Beathard and tight end George Kittle, so going after center Tyler Linderbaum at No. 11 would be a smash pick.

Linderbaum, a fantastic center and one of the top linemen in this year’s draft, could spend his rookie season as a guard, either replacing Tomlinson or upgrading over Daniel Brunskill at right guard, before taking over for Mack.

Considering how big an emphasis Shanahan puts on centers, not skipping out on a key reinforcement here would be a wise move.

Round 2, Pick No. 61 Overall: CB Jalen Pitre, Baylor

One of the players Niner Noise had eyes on during the 2022 Reese’s Senior Bowl in Mobile, Alabama, Baylor nickel cornerback Jalen Pitre seems to be rapidly rising up draft boards from a late day-three prospect into someone who could easily grace Round 2.

Pitre, 6-foot and 197 pounds, put together a quality two seasons in 2020 and 2021 for the Bears, notching four interceptions and nine pass breakups in that span:

Provided by CFB at Sports Reference
Generated 2/14/2022.

San Francisco is poised to move on from its own veteran nickel back, K’Waun Williams, who’ll be a free agent this offseason and is going to turn 31 years old by the time the 2022 regular season starts.

With the 49ers secondary in need of additional talent, getting both younger and cheaper should be a primary objective.

Pitre would help accomplish this.

Round 3, Pick No. 93 Overall: S Kerby Joseph, Illinois

Much like how the Niners have to worry about K’Waun Williams, it’s also highly possible strong safety Jaquiski Tartt departs via NFL free agency this offseason, too.

Tartt no doubt makes San Francisco’s defense better when he’s on the field. But with a lengthy history of injuries, the 49ers have to think about replacing him, either via a top-end backup or someone who can immediately step into a starter’s role.

2021 fifth-round rookie safety Talanoa Hufanga had some splashes, yes. But his straight-line speed and coverage skills were both lacking when he was on defense, and it might be possible to see Hufanga’s use as little more than a big-nickel safety who doubles on special teams. Nothing more.

In that light, going after Illinois safety Kerby Joseph in Round 3 would be an idea.

Joseph doesn’t lack that top-end speed and plays with a Tartt-like physicality, helping him net 41 tackles last season. On top of that, the ballhawking skills are there, too, with Joseph recording an impressive five interceptions last season.

The Niners wouldn’t have to limit Joseph to a strict in-the-box role, either, and Joseph has more than enough flexibility to play both safety spots, too.

Round 3, Pick No. 101 Overall (Compensatory): CB Marcus Jones, Houston

It would seem more fitting for San Francisco to use the compensatory selection gained by Mike McDaniel going to Miami on an offensive player than on a defensive one.

But with the 49ers still having vast needs for both the secondary and in the return game on special teams, it’s no time to reach and get creative on that other side of the ball.

In selecting Houston cornerback Marcus Jones, the Niners do a bit of both.

From the defensive vantage point, Jones can double as a nickel coverage back, potentially reinforcing the previously selected Jalen Pitre, should he play adequately enough as a boundary corner.

Yet the bigger return would be, well… the return game.

Jones, 5-foot-8 and 185 pounds, was electrifying as a return specialist for Houston last season, netting 510 kick-return yards and two touchdowns, those figures going along with 374 punt-return yards and another two scores there, too.

San Francisco has struggled to identify a quality return specialist in recent years, and it’s time the team fully invests some draft assets to shore up one of the major weaknesses on the roster.

Round 4, Pick No. 132 Overall: RB Jerome Ford, Cincinnati

On the surface, it might not seem pressing for the 49ers to go after yet another running back. At least not after 2021 first-year pro Elijah Mitchell rushed for a rookie franchise-record 963 yards last season.

But the depth behind Mitchell heading into 2022 is questionable at best. That’s why someone like Cincinnati’s Jerome Ford makes sense.

Ford was sensational for the Bearcats in 2021, rushing for 1,319 yards and averaging 6.1 yards per attempt, while also adding another element in the receiving game:

Provided by CFB at Sports Reference
Generated 2/14/2022.

The only other running backs rostered behind Mitchell in 2022 are JaMycal Hasty and fellow second-year pro Trey Sermon.

Sermon failed to make much of a dent after being drafted in Round 3 last year, and the Niners haven’t turned Hasty into much more than a gadget player.

With veteran tailbacks Raheem Mostert and Jeff Wilson Jr. pegged for free agency this offseason, and Kyle Shanahan’s tendency of not relying too heavily on any one single running back, adding a player like Ford to the fray makes a lot of sense.

Round 5, Pick No. 171 Overall: EDGE Isaiah Thomas, Oklahoma

San Francisco already has one of the NFL’s best pass-rushers in Nick Bosa. The depth behind him, though, is questionable at best, and Super Bowl LVI revealed just why having an elite tandem (or even trio) of pass-rushers can be the difference between a Lombardi Trophy or an early playoff exit.

Fellow 49ers pass-rushers like Arden Key and Jordan Willis are pending free agents, while EDGE Dee Ford is likely to be a cap casualty in light of his serious injury situation.

That leaves only EDGE Samson Ebukam as the next likeliest defender to field alongside Bosa.

Getting more complementary pass-rushers would be smart, and Oklahoma defensive end Isaiah Thomas might be one of those next hidden-gem talents the Niners could target on day three of the NFL Draft.

Thomas, 6-foot-5 and 266 pounds, managed 14.5 sacks over the last two seasons with the Sooners. And while his technique still needs a lot of refinement, and there are issues with him finishing plays, there’s no doubting the raw talent is there.

If he’s available towards the end of Round 5, it’d be an easy selection.

Round 7, Pick No. 255 Overall (Compensatory): WR Calvin Austin, Memphis

After dishing out two picks to Washington, the Niners are well within the range of picks where going after intangibles and hopefuls is in play.

San Francisco hopes to have its top end of the wide receiver room set with Deebo Samuel, Brandon Aiyuk and a suddenly emerging Jauan Jennings, yet the depth behind that trio is questionable.

And, knowing Kyle Shanahan, going after some more offensive gadget players is always a possibility.

At 5-foot-9 and 162 pounds, Memphis wide receiver Calvin Austin III is anything but a bona fide force at the NFL level, and he’ll likely never shed the association of being unable to withstand the rigors of the pro game.

That said, there are some players who are simply electrifying with the ball in their hands, and Austin should fall into that category.

Austin had back-to-back 1,000-yard receiving campaigns with 19 touchdowns the last two years with the Tigers, and watching him in the open field should convince Shanahan enough to rely on Austin’s elusiveness and difficult-to-tackle abilities.

For a seventh-round flier, the 49ers could do much worse.

Round 7, Pick No. 262 Overall (Compensatory): CB Tariq Woolen, UTSA

Yes, throwing more ammunition to the Niners’ needs at cornerback.

UTSA cornerback Tariq Woolen is an intriguing prospect, and his draft positioning is a bit all over the place. Some big boards have him pegged as a late day-two prospect, while the Pro Football Focus mock suggests he’ll be a back-end prospect, potentially someone who slips through to the ranks of the undrafted.

Either way, he winds up being San Francisco’s final selection in this particular mock, and it’s not hard to see why the 49ers would gamble on Woolen’s upside.

The first two corners selected, Jalen Pitre and Marcus Jones, are a bit on the smaller side. And while the Niners have somewhat moved away from the bigger-bodied boundary cornerbacks in recent years, there’s something enticing enough about Woolen’s 6-foot-4, 205-pound frame.

Woolen has the speed to match, too, and this isn’t the case where he’s merely a challenge in the size department.

So, why would he slip into Round 7?

Woolen is a converted wide receiver with only two years at his new position, and the rawness to his game is still notably there. At the NFL level, he likely wouldn’t be anything close to a plug-and-play option, meaning whatever team drafts him will have to bank on his development.

Already having invested assets at the position, though, San Francisco can afford to be patient and hope Woolen turns into a quality defensive back at the pro level.