3 first-round NFL Draft mistakes that continue to haunt 49ers
By Peter Panacy
No. 3: 49ers select Reuben Foster (No. 31 overall, 2017 NFL Draft)
Solomon Thomas wasn't the only mistake the 49ers made in Round 1 back in 2017. Late on day one, they traded up to No. 31 overall and grabbed Alabama linebacker Reuben Foster, a player with both a checkered past and an injury history.
Granted, Foster was perceived as a top-10 talent at the time, so it appeared to be a risk the talent-strapped Niners were willing to take.
But, boy. It burned them.
Off-field issues ultimately led to Foster being dismissed from the team in November of 2018. And while San Francisco subsequently drafted his replacement that same year, a future All-Pro in Fred Warner, one can only think what could have happened if they stayed put at No. 34 overall.
Defensive backs Budda Baker and Marcus Williams would have been on the clock. Or, if the 49ers wanted to get a fifth-year option for a player, they could have easily grabbed Alabama offensive tackle Cam Robinson to shore up the right side of the offensive line, negating the need to use a 2018 first-round pick on offensive tackle Mike McGlinchey.
What could have been?