The San Francisco 49ers decision to trade back into the first round of the 2017 NFL draft means the 49ers walked away from day one with two first round picks. It is the second straight year the 49ers drafted two players in the first round, and the fifth time since 2006.
Given the nature of the first round, when two players are selected, they are often linked together. It is not always the case, but recalling the Joe Staley-Patrick Willis connection, or Anthony Davis and Mike Iupati brings up some fond memories (and of course some not so fond memories!).
This year, the 49ers selected Solomon Thomas and Reuben Foster, and within 24 hours, it was clear the 49ers had a connection between the two rookies. At their dual introductory press conference, Thomas said that he and Foster had not met prior to that day, but it only took ten minutes to feel like they’re brothers.
Foster and Thomas sat down with 49ers Studios shortly after the draft, and they had a fun interview talking about entering the NFL, and what they know about each other. The funniest moment had to be when Foster found out that Thomas was a junior. The look of shock on his face is something to behold. Check it out at the 2:30 mark here.
The two of them were hotel roommates during minicamp, and it is clear they are getting pretty tight already. I feel like at the very least, the 49ers Studio folks need to have a camera following them around, or have a dual show between them, similar to The Joe Show.
They seem like a bit of an odd couple pairing, but it could be a great dynamic between the two of them. The 49ers are looking to rebuild their defense, and they could prove to be two critical cogs in that process. The front seven has added some significant talent, and they could prove to be the two biggest playmaker additions to the front seven. It’s certainly a plus that they seem to get along really well right out of the gate.