PFF's latest mock draft has 49ers drafting Brock Purdy's former teammate
By Peter Panacy
The 49ers could go offense in Round 1 of the 2024 NFL Draft, but Pro Football Focus' latest mock suggests their first pick will address the secondary.
The San Francisco 49ers only have a handful of starting jobs potentially up for grabs in 2024, and the vast majority of spots available on the eventual 53-man roster for the regular season are going to be for reserves and rotational players.
That said, with a likely reshaping of the roster in a year or two's time, this year's NFL Draft is notably important for general manager John Lynch and Co. to identify and develop the next crop of up-and-coming players to feed into the pipeline.
Additionally, for the first time since 2021, the Niners will have a first-round pick, No. 31 overall, and Lynch could go one of a few different directions with that selection.
An offensive lineman seems to be a popular choice, while it's also feasible to see San Francisco go with a wide receiver or defensive lineman in that spot.
However, Pro Football Focus' latest mock draft suggests the 49ers do something different.
Pro Football Focus mock NFL Draft has 49ers grabbing Iowa State CB T.J. Tampa
It's not necessarily an immediate need, but cornerback is something the Niners would preferably address sooner than later. Charvarius Ward, Deommodore Lenoir, Isaac Yiadom and Rock Ya-Sin are all unsigned a year from now, and it'll be a big challenge for the Niners to re-sign even just two of those four names, given their pending salary cap concerns.
PFF's Sam Monson's solution for San Francisco in Round 1?
Draft Iowa State cornerback T.J. Tampa at No. 31 overall:
"T.J. Tampa fits the prototype of a 49ers cornerback. He has had consecutive seasons of very impressive play and allowed just 240 yards on 49 targets last season. The team doesn’t necessarily need him to make an immediate impact, but they could certainly use a brighter future at one cornerback spot."
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Tampa, 6-foot-2 and 190 pounds, played with quarterback Brock Purdy in 2020 and 2021, which would signal a nice little reunion for the former Cyclones.
Over the last two years, Tampa had 63 tackles, eight of them for a loss, 16 passes broken up and three interceptions. Plus, as Monson mentioned, the current crop of 49ers defensive backs would afford the ability for Tampa to develop slowly over time without being under pressure to start right away.
Of course, if Tampa is selected and proves himself worthy of the job, there'd be a spot for him on the boundary opposite Ward.
49ers address O-line in Round 2 of PFF's latest mock draft
The Niners' offensive line needs aren't going away, but a deep class of O-linemen should afford Lynch the opportunity to reinforce this position group at various spots throughout the draft.
That's precisely what PFF has San Francisco doing in Round 2 at pick No. 36 overall.
Monson's pick for the 49ers here is Yale offensive tackle Kiran Amegadjie:
"Right tackle was a problem spot for the 49ers last season, even if it rarely cost them in games. Adding options there is a necessity."
Amegadijie, 6-foot-5 and 323 pounds, is coming off a quad injury that certainly hinders his draft stock to a modest extent, and he's far from a finished product.
However, the intangibles are certainly there, and as is the case with Tampa, the Niners wouldn't be forced into starting Amegadijie right out of the gate. They still have last year's starter, Colton McKivitz, locked in at right tackle for the time being and could make that transition slowly.
The 2024 NFL Draft kicks off on Thursday, April 25.
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