If you watch even five minutes of ESPN at the moment, chances are you've gotten a glimpse of their draft coverage, featuring Mel Kiper and Todd McShay. I know that there's mixed feelings towards ESPN's draft experts, but it's always interesting to see what they come up with for a San Francisco 49ers mock draft, and there is some intelligence behind their picks, as absurd as some may think they be.
Todd McShay in particular mocked Ole Miss wide receiver Laquon Treadwell to the 49ers in his latest mock. During the combine, the 49ers media team was able to get a bit more insight as to why McShay sent the top wide receiver to San Francisco as well as his thoughts on other prospects. McShay said he wouldn't be surprised if the 49ers took a quarterback instead (in his first mock he had Jared Goff going to the 49ers). Regarding Treadwell, McShay noted that he didn't take much stock in the combine workouts, as far as the 40s are concerned, despite the fact Treadwell didn't even participate. McShay also brought up Dez Bryant, whom he said had a similar slow day at the combine, but he gave a bit more clarification in the comparison:
"Long and short, I think he's [Treadwell] a 'Dez Bryant' type of player, I think he's physical, I think he's great when the ball's in the air and I think he's got a chance to be a very good player. But, when you start to look at more and more of the tape of all these other players, you've got defensive linemen, linebackers, really loaded on the defensive front, so if it's not quarterback, it wouldn't surprise me at all if it was a defensive front seven guy, and then maybe you attack the wide receiver need later."
It's a bit more believable to say Treadwell is a Bryant-type of a player than saying he looks like one of the best wide receivers in the league. Speaking about the other options, notably quarterback, McShay went on to comment on how much of the 49ers destiny is in the hands of the Dallas Cowboys with the 4th pick:
"I was asked earlier what is the most interesting or most important pick in this draft and I think it's exactly that, I think four. I would be really surprised if Cleveland sits at 2 and then if someone doesn't go up and get, let's say they want Carson Wentz and they are not as intrigued with Goff, however it plays out, but if they sit at 2 and the quarterback they want is there, I'd be really surprised if they don't take one. At three, I don't think San Diego will, so Dallas has to make a tough decision. Long term do we solidify the position so we don't go through the Vinny Testaverde, Drew Bledsoe, Clint Stoerner days we went through as an organization, but then we're passing up on a player that can help us win right now if Tony Romo stays healthy. And the vice versa is looking short term vs long term. So it will be interesting to see what they do and it certainly is for San Francisco and 49er fans will be in a critical spot, because that's the next spot when you start to look at all these picks, you come up to number 7 San Francisco and that's the team, if they like Goff or Wentz they could pull a trigger on the second quarterback."
Treadwell seems like a good possibility, but it all probably rides on those two factors: Cleveland and Dallas. If both of them take Wentz and Goff off the board, I'd say it's 50/50 that the 49ers take Treadwell or a defensive player (assuming they don't trade out). With one of those two quarterbacks left though, that makes for a very interesting decision.
What do you think? Do you think McShay has outlined the 49ers draft, and who holds the keys to their destiny pretty well? What are your variables?