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The 2012 NFL season is rapidly coming to a close, and while we as 49ers fans get to continue enjoying NFL action, the close of the 2012 college football regular season means NFL Draft season is fast approaching. The Draft "season" picks up steam in January as we see underclassmen declare, and college all-star games take place. However, the Draft has become virtually a year round business when it comes to mocks.
Todd McShay has officially joined the fray, as he released his first mock draft of the 2013 NFL Draft. I actually think McShay made an error in his draft order, as he has the 9-3-1 49ers listed at No. 29 behind the 10-3 Broncos. The Broncos should actually be No. 29 and the 49ers should be No. 28. With that in mind, McShay has the 49ers selecting Florida defensive tackle Sharrif Floyd with the No. 29 pick:
Tennessee G Dallas Thomas would be a perfect fit because of his versatility and agility, but the 49ers might not invest a fourth first-round pick along the line to go with Joe Staley, Mike Iupati and Anthony Davis. However, Floyd's versatility to play inside or kick outside to end makes him a great fit on the other side of the ball. He can anchor against the run, chases plays all over the field and had a monster 2012 season.
In looking ahead to the Draft, the 49ers defensive line is an intriguing issue. I expect the 49ers to let Isaac Sopoaga walk in the offseason, opening up time for Ricky Jean Francois and potentially Ian Williams, depending on how they view those two for the future. On the outside, Demarcus Dobbs and Will Tukuafu have been developing. Dobbs is finished for the season, but we don't have any more details on the extent of his knee injury.
Since we don't know the extent of Dobbs' injury, it's hard to project what the team's plan is for him. If he's fine, do the 49ers spend a first round pick on the position? Personally, I think the secondary is more likely, particularly with Dashon Goldson's contract situation, and Donte Whitner signed for only one more year. The team did draft Trenton Robinson later last year, but has mostly "red-shirted" him this season.
It's obviously way too early to know anything with anything resembling some kind of confidence, but for now, what do you think of this particular choice, looking at both the player AND the position?