San Francisco 49ers: Ideal Draft Picks for Each Position of Need

After a mediocre 8-8 season the San Francisco 49ers head into the offseason with holes in many areas.

San Francisco's roster had been considered to be one of the deepest in the NFL prior to the 2014 campaign; however, now it looks set for a retool with departures expected on both sides of the ball.

Wide receiver figures to be a prominent need for an offense that endured significant struggles this past year, while departures on the defensive line should be a sign the 49ers need to add to their resources in the trenches.

It will be intriguing to see if the Niners aim to solve some of those issues via free agency. However, their front office has long been dedicated to building through the draft, and it would be a surprise to see San Francisco waver from that philosophy in 2015.

The Niners, per Matt Maiocco of CSN Bay Area, are slated to have nine picks in the 2015 draft. They pick at No. 15 in the first round and will then alternate with the Miami Dolphins, who select at No. 14, in every subsequent round except in four and seven, when they own the picks of Denver and Indianapolis.

Maiocco also expects the 49ers to have two compensatory picks in the seventh round, taking their total to nine.

But who, at this early stage in the predraft process, are the perfect fits for the 49ers as they seek to bounce back under new head coach Jim Tomsula? Here I break down the ideal candidates to fill San Francisco's various requirements.

Wide Receiver: Kevin White

There can be no doubt San Francisco needs a wide receiver in the 2015 draft.

The Niners stand to lose Michael Crabtree and Brandon Lloyd to free agency, while Stevie Johnson—brought over in a 2014 draft-day trade—could well be a salary-cap casualty given the $5.5 million salary he is set to earn in 2015.

San Francisco did not take the opportunity to select one of the top-tier wideouts from a premier receiver class in the 2014 draft. Its offense, which has long lacked a significant deep threat, suffered as a consequence, with Lloyd and tight end Vernon Davis—the men tasked with stretching the field—unable to do so on a consistent basis.

Fortunately for the Niners, they have the opportunity to boost their seemingly soon-to-be depleted group of pass-catchers in a draft that once again looks to be well stocked with a number of quality receivers. And, with the 49ers picking in the middle of the first round, they are in a perfect position to grab one.

Alabama star Amari Cooper, viewed as the top receiver in the class, could well be a top-five pick and figures to be out of the Niners' reach. Below Cooper, Louisville's DeVante Parker has the skill set that appears perfect for the NFL, although his stock already seems to be on the rise.

Parker, at 6'3" and 209 pounds, has proved almost impossible to cover at the college level and excels at high-pointing the football. With his elusiveness after the catch, Parker has the potential to develop into a superb receiver at the next level. However, he is already regarded as the No. 11 player in the draft by CBS Sports, and a trade up could be required to secure his services.

Such a move may not be appealing to the Niners and is not at all necessary with a similarly impressive talent in West Virginia's Kevin White likely to be available at the No. 15 spot. Ranked as the No. 16 player in the draft by CBS Sports, White has the physical attributes to become the deep threat the Niners have needed for so long.

White's 6'3" and 210-pound frame makes him a matchup problem for any defender, and he uses that size brilliantly to climb the ladder and catch the ball at its highest point. Furthermore the junior college transfer possesses tremendous burst off the line to get downfield and create separation.

Although dangerous with the ball in his hands in space, White does not have the speed of foot to regularly make defenders miss and could stand to improve his technique as a blocker. Parker is the more polished prospect yet, despite some deficiencies, White's frightening combination of size and speed makes him the ideal player for a Niners offense desperate for a new weapon for its aerial attack.

If the 49ers choose to go down the receiver route, then—unless Parker drops—White is the man they should select with pick No. 15.

Cornerback: Trae Waynes

San Francisco's secondary performed above expectations in 2014 but could probably use some extra depth ahead of the 2015 campaign.

The back end of the Niners defense has long been considered the weak point of excellent unit. But Vic Fangio's group ranked at No. 5 against the pass this season, despite suffering a number of injuries. 

Two of the players who helped the 49ers secondary excel are set to hit free agency. Perrish Cox recorded five interceptions while Chris Culliver ended the year as the No. 14 corner in the NFL, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required), but both are scheduled to hit the open market.

It remains to be seen whether either of those players will be back, but, after seeing their secondary decimated by injuries toward the end of the season, the 49ers could certainly use some extra resources at the position.

And, while Culliver, Cox, Tramaine Brock—who missed most of the year because of fitness issues—and rookie Dontae Johnson all played well in recent times, it is clear the Niners still do not possess a true shutdown corner. However, they could acquire one in the form of Michigan State's Trae Waynes.

Waynes is perhaps the best corner in a disappointing 2015 class and, with CBS Sports rating him as the No. 18 player in the draft, figures to be available for the Niners by the time are on the clock.

Although CBS Sports' Dane Brugler points out that the 6'1" and 183-pound Waynes is "clearly lacking the ideal bulk and muscle definition," there can be no denying that he excelled in coverage for the Spartans in 2014.

Michigan State regularly left Waynes on an island and he was consistent in locking down receivers with his physical style of coverage. Waynes uses his hands exceptionally well and—as Brugler notes—has shown a proficiency for gaining an inside leverage when manned up versus wideouts on the outside.

A junior with a knack for diagnosing plays, Waynes ended 2014 with three interceptions and seven pass deflections. His thin frame is something NFL receivers could take advantage of, yet there is little doubt Waynes has the coverage skills to be successful in the pros.

Washington's Marcus Peters and Oregon's Ife Ekpre-Olomu also figure to be selected in the first round, but Peters has significant character issues while Ekrpe-Olomu suffered a severe knee injury in December.

Waynes does not have any of those red flags and should be the top candidate for the Niners if they decide to go corner with their first pick.

Defensive End: Mario Edwards Jr.

Mark Wallheiser/Associated Press

San Francisco has traditionally always been strong on the defensive line. However, that group will start to look somewhat depleted should veteran Justin Smith decide to call it a career and retire from the NFL, as NFL Media's Alex Flanagan has suggested he might.

The Niners already lost Ray McDonald from their D-Line when they released him following allegations of sexual assault. If Smith does not return, then Quinton Dial and Tank Carradine figure to be the starters on the outside of their three-man front, assuming San Francisco sticks with a 3-4 alignment.

Both Dial and Carradine displayed flashes of promise in 2014. However, with Smith potentially departing, the Niners certainly have a need for more quality depth up front.

The need is perhaps not great enough to warrant considering picking up a defensive lineman in the first round, but—with the No. 46 overall selection in the second round—the 49ers are in a good position to make an extremely useful addition in the form of Florida State defensive end Mario Edwards.

Edwards is viewed as the No. 63 player in the draft by CBS Sports. At 6'3" and 294 pounds, Williams has the versatility to operate as a 3-4 end and a 4-3 tackle and has the ability to make a difference for the 49ers in the trenches.

Although sometimes slow off the snap, Edwards possesses the long arms and strong hands to fight off blockers. He also possesses the acceleration, athleticism and strength to be a disruptive force in the backfield and stout against the run.

He does need to develop more than just one rush move in order to be consistently effective in the NFL, but Edwards is a player with the physical tools and the instincts to perform at the next level. Edwards played in the 2012 ACC championship game as a replacement for Carradine after he had torn his ACL. For a 49er defensive line in need of extra resource, it would be a smart move to have the pair compete for playing time once again.

Quarterback

Jamie Martin/Associated Press

With Colin Kaepernick struggling to silence the doubters in 2014 despite putting up his best statistical season in the pros, the quarterback situation in San Francisco was always going to come under scrutiny.

ESPN.com's Paul Gutierrez has already posed the question of whether the 49ers could move on from their starting signal-caller in the near future. Such a prospect appears unlikely, but it is obvious to most that Kaepernick could use some competition behind him after playing in front of Colt McCoy and Blaine Gabbert in the past two years, backups that were never going to challenge him.

An injury to Kaepernick in 2014 would have ended the Niners' season long before they were eliminated from the playoffs. And while a backup is rarely as good as the starter, San Francisco needs to take steps to improve its depth at the most important position on the field.

It would be fair to assume that a free agent will be brought in to take the No. 2 spot, but the Niners could also benefit from acquiring a rookie to develop and potentially push for the starting job further down the line.

The 2015 draft does not look to be a great one for quarterbacks; however, Alabama's Blake Sims figures to be a decent option for the 49ers.

Sims is of a similar mould to Kaepernick in that he is an athletic quarterback who can throw on the run and use his legs to escape pressure and make plays in the ground game. Additionally he has shown good pocket presence during his time in Tuscaloosa and has the arm to put velocity on his throws and execute touch passes.

Yet while Sims does a good job of keeping his eyes down the field, he suffers from a common problem among young quarterbacks—including Kaepernick—in that he struggles to consistently go through his progressions.

Standing at 6'0", a lack of height is the main knock on Sims as a pro prospect. It should be remembered, though, that Russell Wilson of the Seattle Seahawks was subject to the same criticism and has so far enjoyed a fine pro career.

It would be foolish at this point to suggest that Sims has the potential to experience the same success as Wilson. However, with CBSSports regarding him as a likely sixth- or seventh-round pick, Sims may prove to be an extremely astute late pickup.

Safety: Gerod Holliman

The 49ers appear set for starting safeties, with Eric Reid and Antoine Bethea almost seamlessly filling in for Dashon Goldson and Donte Whitner following their departures.

However, the Niners do not have any depth below that pair, which is risky given that Reid suffered his third concussion in two seasons in the Week 16 loss to the San Diego Charges. Backup Craig Dahl struggled in his stead in Week 17 and is scheduled to earn $1.4 million in 2015, making him a likely cap casualty.

Nickel man Jimmie Ward and corner Dontae Johnson both operated at safety in college, yet it is clear the Niners may benefit from drafting a rookie to back up their starting duo. And one player who could fill that role and contribute straight away is Louisville star Gerod Holliman.

Free safety Holliman won the Jim Thorpe Award for the best defensive back in college football in 2014, and that was no surprise following a campaign in which he set an FBS record with 14 interceptions. With his instincts, ability to read the game, athleticism and ball skills, Holliman has proved himself to be a strong defender of the pass, yet there are valid concerns over his run defense. 

Taking the right angle on run plays seems to be Holliman's biggest issue, and he could also stand to improve his technique, although his physicality is impressive. The 2015 draft does not look to be a great year for safeties and, according to both CBSSports and NFL Draft Scout, Holliman is a likely third- or fourth-round pick.

If that projection were to hold true, then Holliman could be a potential steal for a Niner organization that has always looked to build on its strengths.

Reid and Bethea figure to be the starters at safety for some time to come, but finding an insurance policy would be a smart decision due to the former's worrying history of head injuries. For a mid-round prospect Holliman is the perfect player to develop behind that duo, yet—with NFL.com's Bucky Brooks comparing Holliman to a young Ed Reed—there is the distinct possibility his stock could rise rapidly and take him out of the Niners' reach.

All statistics courtesy of NFL.com unless otherwise stated. College stats courtesy of Sports Reference, salary cap information from Rotoworld.

Nicholas McGee is a San Francisco 49ers Featured Columnist based in Leeds, England. Follow him on Twitter @nicholasmcgee24.