Each year, Fooch has his mock draft database and while it’s not 100 percent up to date right now, not a whole lot has changed as far as needs go, at least for the San Francisco 49ers, when it comes to the 2018 NFL Draft. It’s less likely they take a cornerback at No. 9 overall, so perhaps Denzel Ward is out of the discussion, but it’s not set in stone by any means.
Currently, the notable mocks included in the database have the 49ers selecting one of Virginia Tech linebacker Tremaine Edmunds, Georgia linebacker Roquan Smith, Notre Dame guard Quenton Nelson, Alabama defensive back Minkah Fizpatrick, UTSA defensive end Marcus Davenportt, Iowa cornerback Josh Jackson, Boston College defensive end Harold Landry, Florida State safety Derwin James, Ohio Sate cornerback Denzel Ward and Alabama wide receiver Calvin Ridley.
Of those, all of Davenport, Jackson, Landry, Fitzpatrick and Ridley only appear once. This, along with Bradley Chubb and Saquon Barkley, who are unlikely to be there at No. 9 overall, are the biggest names I see mentioned here a lot.
And that got me wondering: is there any player you don’t see mocked to the 49ers with anything approaching regularity, but who you would be happy with at ninth overall? Of those lesser-mocked names, I’d be fine with someone like Jackson or Fitzpatrick, but I’m more interested in the linebackers than anything else.
I think a name that interests me purely on talent is Vita Vea, defensive lineman out of Washington. He’s an interior nose tackle guy who would be best-suited in a 3-4 defense, but he’s such a monster and his athletic potential is so far through the roof, that I think the 49ers would find a way. Then there’s guys like Da’Ron Payne, Will Hernandez and Rashaan Evans.
What about ya’ll?