Offensive guard is one of the biggest needs for the San Francisco 49ers, and as such, most people are hoping the team can land someone like Quenton Nelson out of Notre Dame. That seems like a longshot, as he’s nearly guaranteed to go to someone else earlier than that. Still, some mocks are going in that direction.
The latest 2018 NFL mock draft from the folks at DraftTek has them taking a guard, but it’s not Nelson, who is already gone at No. 7 to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Roquan Smith goes to the Oakland Raiders at No. 9 overall, with the 49ers picking 10th. A popular selection for them, Tremaine Edmunds, isn’t actually picked until No. 44 overall.
But the 49ers are selecting Isaiah Wynn, a guard out of Georgia. They note that Wynn has a great blend of strength and athleticism, and that he is just too short to play tackle. They also say that Nelson’s talent “shouldn’t overshadow Wynn’s accomplishments.”
Here’s what they say about the pick beyond that.
Realistically, Wynn may be more of a trade-down target for the Niners. But as a plug-and-play starter with Pro Bowl potential at a critical position of need, San Francisco could do worse with the tenth pick. As an added bonus, Wynn’s athleticism and experience at Tackle make him an upgrade over Zane Beadles as an emergency tackle if the injury bug bites again in 2018.
It’s worth noting that DraftTek uses a computer model to simulate a full seven-round mock draft. They have an analyst for each team, and team needs are matched against a big board to generate the selections. Edmunds falling to 22nd overall isn’t impossible, but it seems unlikely.
Still, what they say about the 49ers taking a guard, and the positive things they have to say about Wynn has me prepping to do some film review on him.