Mock draft season is going to be slow for 49ers fans after the club traded away its first three picks in the 2023 draft in the last two years. Instead of eyeing players the club might potentially snag, there’ll be a list of players they potentially miss on. Those names will undoubtedly matter down the line as the trades for Trey Lance and Christian McCaffrey either work out or don’t.
A new Draft Wire two-round mock shows one of the perils of getting rid of early-round picks for the 49ers.
They select at Nos. 20 and 51, and miss out on a couple of players who could’ve helped them navigate some tricky salary cap situations.
The Broncos own the 49ers’ pick at No. 20 via the Dolphins, and at that spot they take Florida State edge rusher Jared Verse. This is Verse’s first year with the Seminoles. He was with with Albany for two seasons where he posted 74 tackles, 21.5 tackles for loss and 14.5 sacks in 15 games. With Florida State this year he has 30 tackles, 12 tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks in eight games.
San Francisco may need some cheap edge help after Nick Bosa signs his extension, which could make him the highest paid defensive player in the NFL. With Samson Ebukam and a host of other DEs headed to free agency, the 49ers will need some additional depth at that position. Bosa and 2022 second-round pick Drake Jackson are a good start, but another first-round DE could’ve set them up well at the position for a long time.
At No. 51, which is owned by the Panthers after the Christian McCaffrey trade, Carolina selects Oklahoma WR Marvin Mims. He’s been consistently good for the Sooners across his first two-plus seasons, but this year has been a breakout campaign for the junior. He has a career-high 38 catches already, to go along with 678 yards (27 off his career-high) and four touchdowns (his career-best is nine during his freshman campaign).
Wide receiver is a sneaky big need for San Francisco in the near future. Deebo Samuel just inked a three-year extension, but WR Brandon Aiyuk is a free agent after next year. Beyond that there aren’t a ton of high-quality, top-two receiver options on the roster. Perhaps 2022 third-round pick Danny Gray turns a corner, but having a second-round selection in the receivers room could’ve been helpful in making a more quality, cheaper receiving corps down the road.
