Wide receiver has been a popular selection in mock drafts for the San Francisco 49ers leading up to this week. EDGE rusher was the runner-up. Many believe those two positions are the leaders in the clubhouse for the Niners first two picks.
Despite the news that Trent Williams and the team reached a historic resolution, there’s been a shift toward the 49ers drafting an offensive lineman. That’s reflected in the betting odds. Here is a look at the prospects favored to be selected by San Francisco on DraftKings:
Utah OT Caleb Lomu +500
Clemson OT Blake Miller +650
Arizona State OT Max Iheanachor +800
Auburn EDGE Keldric Faulk +1000
Washington WR Denzel Boston +1000
Miami EDGE Ahkeem Mesidor +1000
Texas A&M WR KC Concepcion +1100
Indiana WR Omar Cooper Jr. +1200
UCF EDGE Malachi Lawrence +1200
The lower the odds, the higher the probability of something happening. For example, Fernando Mendoza is -20,000 to be the No. 1 overall pick.
Each of the players listed above is as close to “locks” of being first-round picks as it gets—or at least that’s how they’re priced on the betting market. There’s a plausible scenario where every player from above is off the board.
That’s why the more you map out different outcomes, the more it makes sense for the 49ers to move up and select a player they believe is worthy of a first-round pick. John Lynch said, “Our first-round grades are down. I don’t want to give an exact number, but we’re down a little bit in terms of first-round grades,” earlier this week.
Once you get to the teens, you’re starting to run out of players you’d take on Day 1 in any draft. Finding a way to get ahead of teams eyeing the offensive line would be the reason the Niners look to jump into the early 20s to beat the positional run.
Whether you have a first-round grade on Lomu, Miller, or Iheanachor, the last thing you want to do is cross your fingers and hope he falls four or five picks. Instead, a package including one or multiple fourth-rounders, and a player—like Isaac Guerendo, Ji’Ayir Brown, Dee Winters, or, if you’re really looking to move into the teens, Renardo Green— should be enough to entice some team.
