San Francisco 49ers Mock Draft: Updated Day 2 Predictions
Day 1 of the 2015 NFL draft is in the books, and as has been seen before, general manager Trent Baalke had the San Francisco 49ers on the move.
But instead of trading up—as he had in 2013—Baalke traded down two spots from No. 15 to No. 17 in an exchange with the San Diego Chargers.
San Francisco tabbed Oregon defensive end Arik Armstead with its first pick, which will hopefully address future defensive line needs that have emerged since the possible retirement of veteran DE Justin Smith could become a reality.
Yet the 49ers still have other significant needs. Following the retirements of linebackers Patrick Willis and Chris Borland, San Francisco will be looking to shore up that position. The team might also need help along the offensive line. Upgrading and bulking up the wide receiver and cornerback positions is also something the 49ers should consider.
They still have nine picks with which to work. This number gives Baalke some flexibility to make additional moves to address needs. But as the later rounds approach, the necessity to find value in later picks will become much more important.
So which players will the 49ers target in the later rounds with Round 1 now complete?
Round 1 Recap
1 of 7San Francisco was one pick away from having a shot to land Louisville wide receiver DeVante Parker. But he went to the Miami Dolphins at No. 14, which subsequently gave Trent Baalke an opportunity to trade down in the draft.
Baalke sent the 49ers' own 15th pick to the San Diego Chargers in exchange for the Chargers' own first-round selection (No. 17), a fourth-round pick and fifth rounder in 2016, per 49ers.com.
"#49ers trade 15th overall pick to #Chargers for 17th overall pick, 4th-round pick (117th) and 2016 5th-round pick. http://t.co/z5hzxusY8Z
— San Francisco 49ers (@49ers) May 1, 2015"
The move made sense given the value available between Nos. 15 and 17 and added another pick to Baalke's crop of slots.
With the new selection, the 49ers drafted Oregon defensive end Arik Armstead.
Armstead, who is 6'7" and 292 pounds, will eventually look to be the imposing force on the defensive line. The ideal scenario will be to pair him with fellow end Tank Carradine at some point in the future after veteran DE Justin Smith retires.
But Armstead's pedestrian numbers at Oregon raise questions as to the amount of effort associated with his physical prowess. He totaled just four sacks in his three seasons with the Ducks. The hope here will be for head coach Jim Tomsula to get the most out of this massive force.
The 49ers have likely answered any pressing needs along the D-line. This leaves additional needs at the cornerback position, wide receiver, inside linebacker and along the offensive line.
Round 2: WR Jaelen Strong, Arizona State
2 of 7No. 46: Wide Receiver Jaelen Strong, ASU
The 49ers lost their opportunity to cash in on wide receiver DeVante Parker, but Round 2 could still provide another chance to land a playmaking wideout.
Physically gifted yet troubled wide receiver Dorial Green-Beckham probably won't be around when San Francisco uses the 46th overall pick, but a good fallback option would be ASU receiver Jaelen Strong—tabbed as the 41st overall prospect at CBS Sports.
Wideout Devin Smith would be another option, but Strong has a few more likable attributes—softer hands being the most noteworthy.
"Devin Smith, Jaelen Strong, Dorial Green-Beckham ... still some good WRs out there for 49ers
— Marcus Thompson (@ThompsonScribe) May 1, 2015"
Strong might not have the best speed—he did run a 4.44 in the 40-yard dash, though—but his soft hands and playmaking strength make him a perfect replacement for veteran wideout Anquan Boldin.
Boldin's current contract ends after the 2015 season.
Round 3: ILB Paul Dawson, TCU
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No. 79: Inside Linebacker Paul Dawson, TCU
The 49ers still need a linebacker after Rounds 1 and 2 in order to shore up the rotation after the departures of standouts Patrick Willis and Chris Borland.
TCU linebacker Paul Dawson may not be available by the middle of Round 3, but CBS Sports lists him as a third-round prospect. San Francisco would be blessed if he fell to the team at No. 79.
NFL.com's Mike Mayock (h/t Cam Inman of the San Jose Mercury News) does question Dawson's passion for the game. But his football instincts are solid, as is his pursuit speed, per Rob Rang of CBS Sports. And one might recall that outside linebacker Aaron Lynch was addressed in a similar fashion regarding his pre-NFL attitude.
"TCU LB Paul Dawson, who visited LB-needy #49ers, has "a lot of question about his football passion," says NFL Network's Mike Mayock.
— Cam Inman (@CamInman) April 23, 2015"
Like Borland, Dawson is a tackling machine. The 6'0", 235-pound linebacker totaled 136 total tackles for TCU last season—20 for a loss—and would help bolster San Francisco's interior defense in the run-heavy NFC West.
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Round 4: CB Ifo Ekpre-Olomu, DE Za'Darius Smith, OG Jeremiah Poutasi
4 of 7No. 117 (from San Diego): Cornerback Ifo Ekpre-Olomu, Oregon
Trent Baalke loves his injury-stash picks. Offensive guard Brandon Thomas and cornerback Keith Reaser were redshirted examples from last year.
In 2015, that pick could be Oregon cornerback Ifo Ekpre-Olomu.
At 5'9" and 192 pounds, he is best-suited to play the nickelback position for San Francisco. The 49ers already have last year's first-round pick Jimmie Ward slated for that spot. But Ward could easily be switched back to his natural position at safety.
This would give San Francisco an option to move on from veteran safety Antoine Bethea when that time comes.
Ekpre-Olomu's knee injury could keep him out of training camp, per CBS Sports, and is likely the reason why he has dropped as late as the early stages of Round 4.
No. 126: Defensive End Za'Darius Smith, Kentucky
Taking defensive end Arik Armstead in Round 1 is a gamble. If he pans out, the selection will be worthwhile. If not, the 49ers need to have a backup plan in place.
Additionally, San Francisco's current depth also could use some long-term reinforcement. The 49ers have veterans Darnell Dockett, Glenn Dorsey, Ian Williams, Tank Carradine, Quinton Dial and Tony Jerod-Eddie on the roster for the D-line. Justin Smith is also a part of that equation if he elects to play on into 2015.
But as Matt Maiocco of CSN Bay Area notes, none of the aforementioned players are signed beyond 2016. Youthful depth might be needed here.
Kentucky defensive end Za'Darius Smith provides a likable, high-value target in Round 4. He posted 10.5 sacks over two seasons with the Wildcats and would give some insurance and depth to this soon-to-be thin position.
No. 132 (compensatory): Offensive Guard Jeremiah Poutasi, Utah
The 49ers already lost starting left guard Mike Iupati to free agency and could potentially lose right guard Alex Boone either to a trade or free agency after 2015, per Matt Maiocco of CSN Bay Area.
San Francisco does have some options along the interior of the O-line. With Daniel Kilgore returning to center after being injured, second-year pro linemen Brandon Thomas and Marcus Martin will be competing for Iupati's spot.
But to supplement the depth, which was tested in 2014, the 49ers should consider adding a flexible O-lineman who can assist here. This is especially important if Boone departs.
Offensive guard Jeremiah Poutasi out of Utah could be the perfect great-value find. The 6'5", 335-pound lineman has an NFL-type body and the flexibility to play interior and exterior positions, per Rob Rang of CBS Sports.
CBS Sports ranks Poutasi as the No. 138 overall prospect, which should give the 49ers an excellent chance to land him.
Round 5: OT Corey Robinson, South Carolina
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No. 151: Offensive Tackle Corey Robinson, South Carolina
San Francisco needs a swing tackle after parting ways with tackle Jonathan Martin during the offseason.
While the interior of the O-line has amicable depth for this season, there aren't too many options behind tackles Joe Staley and Anthony Davis. And Davis appeared in just seven games last season.
O-lineman Erik Pears will help reinforce this a bit, but the 49ers would be wise to add some long-term depth that can play at either end.
South Carolina's Corey Robinson has experience at both tackle positions and can line up at guard if necessary, per CBS Sports.
And it's impossible to overlook his 6'7", 324-pound frame as something that San Francisco's coaching staff could mold.
Round 6: WR Darren Waller, Georgia Tech
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No. 190: Wide Receiver Darren Waller, Georgia Tech
The 49ers have already addressed their wide receiver needs after drafting Jaelen Strong in Round 2. It is unlikely that Oklahoma wideout Dorial Green-Beckham fell to them with their first Day 2 pick.
But if San Francisco wanted a late-round prospect in the mold of Green-Beckham, Trent Baalke could do worse than target Georgia Tech receiver Darren Waller.
At 6'6" and 238 pounds, Waller has the ideal size to emerge as a big target for quarterback Colin Kaepernick. While he might not have the breakneck speed to create separation, per Dane Brugler of CBS Sports, Waller would immediately be a red-zone threat.
The 49ers need more targets inside opponents' 20-yard lines, and Waller's hands and size fit the bill.
And San Francisco appears interested. Per SiriusXM NFL (h/t David Fucillo of Niners Nation), Waller had a predraft visit with the 49ers, which would at least suggest some late-round interest here.
"Georgia Tech WR Darren Waller told @SiriusXMNFL he had a pre-draft visit with the 49ers http://t.co/orE7ILWjq7 pic.twitter.com/etTbinAnEo
— Niners Nation (@NinersNation) April 27, 2015"
Waller might be a project, but there isn't any way to ignore his size and prowess.
Round 7: RB Akeem Hunt and QB Cody Fajardo
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No. 246: Running Back Akeem Hunt, Purdue
The 49ers backfield looks set heading into 2015. Running back Carlos Hyde will likely be the No. 1 guy after Frank Gore departed via free agency. Kendall Hunter and Reggie Bush will support Hyde.
But injuries plagued Bush's and Hunter's 2014 campaigns, so it wouldn't hurt to add some developmental depth at this position with a late-round flier. This is especially important considering added Australian rugby star Jarryd Hayne may not translate over to the NFL game. He's an unknown factor at this point.
Purdue running back Akeem Hunt averaged 5.5 yards per carry over four seasons with the Boilermakers. CBS Sports projects him as a seventh-round pick at the latest.
No. 254: Quarterback Cody Fajardo, Nevada
San Francisco isn't in the market for a starting quarterback or a backup, for that matter. Colin Kaepernick will be No. 1, and Blaine Gabbert is the No. 2.
It's possible that the 49ers take a quarterback in free agency after the draft. But another thought would be a flier on Nevada quarterback Cody Fajardo. After all, he backed up Kaepernick in college and is familiar with the same spread offense employed by the Wolf Pack.
Fajardo emulates Kaepernick in a number of ways, per Dane Brugler of CBS Sports. He is mobile within the pocket and has a strong arm. On the negative side, and like Kaepernick, Fajardo tends to lock onto his No. 1 receiver.
But Fajardo would be a project that might easily translate into the offense San Francisco wishes to run.
All statistics, records and accolades courtesy of Pro-Football-Reference.com and Sports-Reference.com unless otherwise indicated. Supplemental draft information courtesy of CBS Sports.
Peter Panacy is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report, covering the San Francisco 49ers. Be sure to check out his entire archive on 49ers news, insight and analysis.
Follow him @PeterPanacy on Twitter.
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