Golden Nuggets: More player interviews and more mocks

With the NFL draft now less than two weeks away the 49ers front office is in full swing, as they prepare for the first ever virtual edition of the draft. Having missed out on pro days for most and the opportunity for in person interviews post combine, the team is conducting their pre-draft visits via video conference, and they’ve continued with more this week.

According to Niners Nation’s own Kyle Posey, interviews this week included Mississippi State cornerback Cameron Dantzler, and Michigan guard Michael Onwenu. Kyle wrote about both prospects yesterday, if you missed it, here are the links:

49ers meet with Michigan OG Michael Onwenu

49ers met with Mississippi St. cornerback Cameron Dantzler

We’re also hitting peak mock draft season and while the majority are still following the same basic premise of taking the best available wide receiver or offensive tackle at 13, Trevor Sikkema at the Draft Network pitched a trade down scenario in his most recent mock draft.

Instead of picking at 13, he had the Niners trading down to pick 17 with the Dallas Cowboys, and using that pick to select Justin Jefferson, WR, LSU. In the mock, all three of the top WR and the top 2 consensus OT were off the board at 13, though Georgia OT Andrew Thomas was available.

To round out the first, the 49ers used the 31st pick on Alabama safety Xavier McKinney.

I’m not crazy about either of the players selected, but it does at least illustrate what a trade down from 13 might look like.

Either way, there should be plenty of mocks over the next 12 days to explore just about every possible scenario, good and bad, and more player interviews as well, so stay posted for what should be a very busy week here at Niners Nation.

And now onto those links:

The 49ers don’t need OT in Round 1; Staley’s replacement is on the roster (Eric Crocker, Fourth and Nine)

49ers Pre-draft Prospect Preview: Wide Receivers (Kelana Martin, 49ers.com)

49ers Quarterback Situation Ranked No. 13 by Sports Illustrated (Jose Luis Sanchez III, SI.com)

2020 NFL Draft profile: Why Iowa’s A.J. Epenesa’s fits 49ers at No. 31 (Matt Maiocco, NBC Sports)

49ers held pre-draft interview with Mississippi State CB Cameron Dantzler (David Bonilla, 49ers WebZone)

George Kittle says he never took the ‘Tom Brady to the 49ers’ talk seriously, commends Jimmy Garoppolo (Jordan Dajani, CBS Sports)

Report: 49ers hold digital pre-draft meeting with massive OL prospect (Kyle Madson, Niners Wire)

49ers: Predicting what a George Kittle contract extension looks like (Peter Panacy, Niner Noise)

49ers’ D.J. Jones ready to help replace DeForest Buckner, but it hurts (Brian Witt, NBC Sports)

49ers play in NFL’s toughest division, NFC West, in 2020 (Peter Panacy, Niner Noise)