The San Francisco 49ers have a host of options to consider with the No. 2 pick, and if they are able to trade down, it would only add to the number of candidates to consider in the first round. And so, they have a lot of work to do assessing just about anybody who might land in the top ten of the 2017 NFL Draft.
We have heard reports on quarterbacks, but Ian Rapoport is adding a defensive tackle to the list. Alabama’s Jonathan Allen is in the midst of a busy week of travel, and later this week he will head to Santa Clara to meet with the 49ers. Rapoport tweeted that Allen visited with the Jacksonville Jaguars and Tennessee Titans. He will then fly to meet with the Los Angeles Rams on Wednesday, followed by the 49ers.
At one point, Allen was in the discussion for the No. 1 overall pick. While Myles Garrett has always been viewed as having the higher ceiling, Allen has been viewed as a high floor with a solid ceiling. However, questions about multiple shoulder surgeries has seen Allen’s draft stock take a hit. He could still go in the top five, but it’s not a sure thing.
The 49ers signed Earl Mitchell this offseason, and have Arik Armstead and DeForest Buckner as their last two first round picks. We have seen Stanford defensive lineman Solomon Thomas become the regular name connected to the 49ers at No. 2. I’ve seen scouting reports suggest Allen lacks the height teams look for at defensive end, but Thomas is the same height and there is talk that he could play some end. However, if either is going to end up moved inside to defensive tackle in the 49ers 4-3, they might need to add some bulk.