Trading Back Would Be Best Solution for San Francisco 49ers' Draft Needs

The San Francisco 49ers are in an interesting position in the 2015 NFL draft. Picking at No. 15 in the first round, it is fair to suggest that one of the best players in the class could fall into their lap. However, following the losses of key players on both sides of the ball this offseason, it is debatable whether staying at that spot would be the best option for a franchise under pressure to win now following recent upheaval.

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In recent years, the accepted view has been that the Niners have lacked talent at wide receiver. San Francisco addressed that with the signing of Torrey Smith, giving them a wideout with the ability to take the top off a defense. However, according to B/R's Matt Miller, the 49ers are considering trading up for arguably the top receiver in the draft, Amari Cooper.

At No. 15, the Niners are in a good spot to potentially move up and snag Cooper or West Virginia's Kevin White, but as CSN Bay Area's Matt Maiocco points out, the price may be too high for general manager Trent Baalke, who elected not to strike a deal to move up and select Odell Beckham Jr. in the first round of last year's draft.

Indeed, the Niners have too many needs to give up multiple picks to jump into the top five, with inside linebacker, cornerback, and defensive line all areas in which this talented team could use extra depth. And it is feasible that the 49ers could fill those holes by standing pat with the nine selections that they hold.

By staying at 15, San Francisco could see corner Trae Waynes and receiver DeVante Parker, rated as the No. 12 and No. 13 players in the class, drop into their grasp. Nebraska pass-rusher Randy Gregory—whose stock has been hit by his failed drug test at the combine—also may be in play in the first round.

But for a skilled manipulator of the draft board like Baalke, moving back to a later pick in the opening round figures to be the best and most likely move.

A swift assessment of the 49ers' 2014 draft gives an idea of how Baalke uses the board to his advantage. The Niners began the draft with 12 selections and ended it with 12 players, all of whom—save for the now-retired Chris Borland—remain on the team.

Baalke did not just stand pat to add those players to the roster, though; he worked the board exceptionally well, completing five trades on draft day—three of which saw the 49ers move down the board—to stockpile picks and grab talented prospects such as Carlos Hyde in the second round as well as Marcus Martin and Brandon Thomas, two of higher-ranked offensive linemen, in the third.

Additionally, through his work on the phones, he was able to acquire Stevie Johnson from the Buffalo Bills and another fifth-round selection in this year's draft.

And the stage is well set for Baalke to execute similar moves this time around. Why? Because if Parker, Waynes and Gregory are all off the board, then it becomes increasingly difficult to justify taking another player at 15.

This is a draft that is deep in three main areas: wide receiver, running back and edge-rusher. San Francisco only really has a need at one of those three positions, and if the Niners' top targets at wideout are gone by 15, it makes sense to drop back to a later spot in the first where some of the better pass-catchers will still be available. That would allow them to address their other issues with the extra second- or third-round picks they would likely receive as part of a such a deal and get better value as a result.

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Arizona State wideout Jaelen Strong is rated as the No. 20 prospect in the class, while Breshad Perriman and Oklahoma's Dorial Green-Beckham are ranked at 23 and 26, respectively. Furthermore, Oregon defensive lineman Arik Armstead is currently regarded as the No. 30 player in the draft, meaning that the 49ers would have the opportunity to select a defender whom they are due to visit with, per Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee, even after trading back.

Corners Marcus Peters, another player whom Barrows says the Niners are set to meet with, and Kevin Johnson would also likely remain in play following a move back in the first, along with prospects such as defensive lineman Eddie Goldman and pass-rushers Owa Odighizuwa and Eli Harold.

With the draft's supposed top inside linebacker Eric Kendricks only ranked at No. 35 overall, the extra second- or third-rounders that a trade back may net would afford the 49ers the chance to fill what has become a gaping hole in the roster—thanks to the retirements of Borland and Patrick Willis—without having to reach.

In short, what a trade down gives Baalke is something he evidently relishes: room to maneuver. 

He would have the extra ammunition to address all of the Niners' current concerns and to manipulate the board with further trades to get the right players for the right price or stockpile for next year. Extra ammunition would also allow Baalke to investigate the possibility of adding players at positions such as safety and tight end, where the need is not immediate but could become more pressing in the near future.

Last year, Baalke, per Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle, decided that the price to go up and get Odell Beckham was not worth paying. And, although a big move to acquire Cooper or White may appease fans angered by the goings on this offseason, completing such a trade has never been Baalke's style.

This is a man who values his draft picks and will understand that the Niners need help in a number of areas if they are to be a winning team in 2015. In order for him to make sure that head coach Jim Tomsula and his staff have a roster capable of producing a bounce-back year, a deal to move down the board—not up—is the better solution.

Prospect rankings courtesy of CBS Sports.

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