The 2017 NFL Draft is just under five weeks away, at which point we’ll finally figure out what the top of the San Francisco 49ers draft board really looks like. The 49ers hold the No. 2 pick, and with Myles Garrett all but certain to go No. 1, John Lynch and Kyle Shanahan will have their choice of options after Cleveland.
The media runs out mock drafts throughout the offseason, and as is often the case, you start to see some similarities. This year, that similarity has been Stanford defensive end Solomon Thomas. We have 34 mock drafts in our database, and for the first time, we have one player just short of majority. We have 17 mock drafts selecting Thomas, which puts him right at 50 percent. Technically that is just shy of a simple majority, but it is the closest we have come to that this offseason. Safety Malik Hooker is next with four mock drafts, following by quarterback Mitchell Trubisky and cornerback Marshon Lattimore with three apiece.
Earlier this week, I asked people to submit picks at No. 2, assuming Myles Garrett went No. 1 and the 49ers did not trade down. We got 112 submissions, and in order to come up with a broader vote total, I put together a poll. That netted 4,159 votes, and while it is far from scientific, it gives us something with which to compare with the media mock drafts.
I listed out 16 players (all names submitted) plus an other category. Malik Hooker has emerged with the plurality of the vote, netting 20 percent. Solomon Thomas is second at 19 percent, followed by Reuben Foster at 13 percent. What I found most interesting was that Corey Davis finished third in total submissions (13) when I asked people to comment. When people then voted, he finished 10th. Jonathan Allen slid from fourth to sixth, while DeShaun Watson climbed from fifth to fourth.
None of us, media or fans, know for certain where the 49ers might be leaning with the No. 2 pick. The team has numerous holes, and there is no consensus on the second best player in the draft. I went with Malik Hooker as my choice, but I could see several picks that would not shock me. Reuben Foster, Jonathan Allen, Marshon Lattimore, Leonard Fournette, one of the quarterbacks or receivers — some might be more unexpected than others, but they would not completely shock me.