The NFL Draft is almost here and the San Francisco 49ers will have to decide in a few days which player they will select with the No. 27 overall pick in Round 1. Assuming, of course, that they do not trade up or trade out of the first round entirely. Both scenarios are very much possible.
Ahead of the draft, many analysts will try to make sense of a team’s pre-draft visits. The only problem with that is oftentimes general managers will try and fool other teams or reporters with who gets invited for a visit. 49ers general manager John Lynch has admitted as much.
So who is Lynch trying to fool everyone with this time around? Let’s take a look at three prospects the 49ers almost certainly won’t draft who were invited for a visit just to throw everyone off the scent.
OT Kadyn Proctor
While some believe that drafting Proctor would be a smart move to address the team’s offensive line, it really does go against the team’s modus operandi. They haven’t selected a tackle in Round 1 since 2018 and even though the Trent Williams contract drama drags on, the team should figure something out.
Maybe Lynch is trying to bait another team into selecting Proctor so that an edge rusher they really like will still be there at pick No. 27.
WR Denzel Boston
Wide receiver is a position that many believe the 49ers might address in Round 1. It’s entirely possible they will draft one, but Denzel Boston seems like he would not be an ideal fit.
Our own Jason Kandel noted that Boston has a lot of holes in his game and lacks the speed that San Francisco could really use at the position.
He seems the most likely to be a bust out of all the Round 1 receivers so Lynch and Co. would be smart if they are simply using him to confuse other teams.
EDGE Malachi Lawrence
The Niners may choose to draft yet another edge rusher in Round 1 like they did last year with Mykel Williams. Malachi Lawrence is seen as a potential Round 1 talent but the Niners may be in the market for different options at that position.
Cashius Howell out of Texas A&M and Kendrick Faulk out of Auburn make more sense with what new defensive coordinator Raheem Morris looks for in edge rushers so the Lawrence visit may be disguising a desire to draft one of those two players in Round 1.
Smoke screens are a part of the draft process so we’ll have to see if Lynch indeed was trying to throw people off the scent of what the team truly intends to do in Round 1 with some of these visits.