4 dream scenarios for 49ers entering 2023 NFL Draft
By Peter Panacy
The 49ers can hope a lot of things play out to their benefit in the 2023 NFL Draft long before their number is first called at the end of Round 3.
Just because the San Francisco 49ers aren’t scheduled to make a selection in the 2023 NFL Draft until the back end of Round 3, specifically at No. 99 overall, doesn’t mean they are going to sit idly by without much interest and watch the first two-plus rounds play out.
General manager John Lynch has 11 picks at his disposal in this year’s draft, yet there aren’t that many holes on the Niners roster.
With a history of trading around the draft, plus other rumors circulating that San Francisco could move a prized asset like quarterback Trey Lance, it’s very possible the final outcome of the 49ers’ 2023 draft class looks vastly different than what was initially anticipated.
At the same time, Lynch and Co. can hope that things play out favorably ahead of whatever their first selection will be, and they can also hope some dream scenarios pan out after their trio of picks at the end of Round 3, too.
Here are four dream scenarios that would be ideal for the Niners come draft time.
49ers dream NFL Draft scenario No. 1: Julius Brents has a freefall from Round 2
San Francisco doesn’t have too many needs in this year’s draft, but the desire to land a starting-caliber cornerback opposite Charvarius Ward is certainly there after losing Emmanuel Moseley to free agency.
Prior to the NFL Scouting Combine, Kansas State’s Julius Brents would have probably been a safe third-round selection, perhaps not falling to the 49ers at the end of the round but someone who’d easily be acquired via a trade-up.
Now, Brents is squarely a Round 2 projection, according to Pro Football Focus, which would either require the Niners trading up to get or some sort of massive and unexplained fall on draft day.
Perhaps San Francisco still has to trade up, if Brents is indeed the target, but an ideal dream scenario would be for him to somehow fall into a very comfortable range (let’s say, the middle of Round 3) or all the way to No. 99 overall.
Hey, it’s a dream scenario, right?