The third and final day of the NFL Draft (rounds four through seven) begins today at 9:00 am PT. The 49ers have eight picks remaining including one in fourth, three in the fifth, three in the six, and one in the seventh. Four of the eight picks are compensatory picks. After solidifying some needs in Days 1 and 2 (DE, OG, CB), there are a few more needs Day 3 could help the 49ers address. We'll take a look at some of the best available players left in those positions.
Wide receiver: Day 3 seems to be the prime picking of wide receivers Trent Baalke usually addresses (DeAndre Smelter 4th round, Bruce Ellington 4th round, Quinton Patton 4th round, Ronald Johnson 6th round, and Kyle Williams 6th round). As of late, it has come during the 4th round, and since we have our compensatory pick in the backend of the fourth, a few possible prospects available are: Rashard Higgins, Pharoh Cooper, Charone Peake, and Malcolm Mitchell. Personally, I'm a fan of Malcolm Mitchell and see a Jeremy Maclin vibe to him.
Offensive tackle: The 49ers solidified the guard position, but there is still some need of competition for the tackle position. Anthony Davis is still retired, no surprise, and Trent Brown could sure use some better competition other than Erik Pears and Colin Kelly. There are still some quality tackle talent available in the draft, and a few names to consider are: Jerald Hawkins, Willie Beavers, Caleb Benenoch, Joe Haeg, and Alex Lewis.
Tight end: I'm intrigued that Bruce Miller is in the mix at tight end. With the success of Bruce's potential transition, drafting another tight end might not be an immediate need. Nevertheless, it never hurts to add some competition to the mix. Here are a few prospects worth looking at: Jerell Adams, Tyler Higbee (red flag), Beau Sandland, and Thomas Duarte.
Inside linebacker: I see Gerald Hodges switched agents to Drew Rosenhaus. It's interesting because Hodges is going into the final year of his contract and Rosenhaus has a tendency to have a good relationship with the 49ers. Will Hodges solidify the spot next to NaVorro Bowman? Well, I guess we'll have to see how the season plays out. However, in the meantime, the 49ers could very well add some competition into the mixture. Here are some names to consider: Kentrell Brothers, Nick Kwiatkoski, Blake Martinez, Dominique Alexander, Tyler Matakevich, Antonio Morrison, and Scooby Wright III. I'm sure many of you would love for the 49ers to draft Scooby.
Outside linebacker: An area that could use some bolstering is our edge presence. Aaron Lynch is solid, and I love the work ethic Eli Harold has put in the offseason bulking up and gaining strength. Ahmad Brooks will not last forever, and Corey Lemonier is at risk of not making the team. The position needs depth, and a few names to consider are: Joe Schobert, Matt Judon, Dadi Nicolas, Victor Ochi, Roy Robertson-Harris, James Cowser, and Stephen Weatherly.
Other notable best players available: DT Andrew Billings, QB Connor Cook, RB Devontae Booker, RB Kenneth Dixon, RB Paul Perkins, DT Hassan Ridgeway, QB Dak Prescott, S Jeremy Cash, OLB Joshua Perry, and DT Sheldon Day.