Two very popular names amongst the mock draft community will visit the San Francisco 49ers next week as top-30 visits. The overall theme of the top-30 visits so far is either wide receivers or EDGE rushers. Cooper, Jr., and Concepcion join Denzel Boston from Washington as the receivers who have visited.
The EDGE group consists of Romello Height from Texas Tech and Malachi Lawrence from UCF. Two things are true about the 49ers heading into this draft. They need to get younger and more explosive at
the receiver position, and they need to find a speed rusher to complement Nick Bosa.
With two weeks to go before the NFL draft, it is interesting to note the positions that have visited for two reasons. One is that both positions are a clear need, and two, the players who visit may not signal interest. For example, Mykel Williams was a top-30 visit and was the pick at number 11. Ricky Pearsall never met with 49ers brass outside of a quick conversation at the Senior Bowl in Mobile and was the first-round pick the previous year.
There is the sentiment of the 49ers using players as a “smokescreen” to throw other teams off their scent and intentions. However, that feels made up as the team should be looking closely at as many players as possible and not wasting time playing mind games. The draft is unpredictable, and it is important to learn as much about as many players that are high on your board to make an educated decision if things go awry.
When it comes to the 49ers, you can’t tell their true intention or which players are high on their board. The consensus board and the board in the 49ers’ war room are two completely different things. When the 49ers like a player, the perceived draft value to others around the league doesn’t get in the way of the team drafting “their guy.” Take that process for whatever it’s worth.
At pick 27, the 49ers desperately need an instant contributor. EDGE or wide receiver, whoever the selection is, has to be able to help the team that is in win-now mode. The team cannot afford to draft a player who is “a year away” or a “project.”
