San Francisco 49ers three-round mock draft following the first wave of 2024 NFL Free Agency
The San Francisco 49ers are in a position they haven't been used to in the last couple of years, possessing a first-round pick in the draft. Not since the ill-fated Trey Lance selection have the 49ers picked on the opening night, but that will change in a 2024 draft in which they have 10 selections. […]
The San Francisco 49ers are in a position they haven't been used to in the last couple of years, possessing a first-round pick in the draft.
Not since the ill-fated Trey Lance selection have the 49ers picked on the opening night, but that will change in a 2024 draft in which they have 10 selections.
With an expensive and top-heavy roster, the 49ers need to get this draft right with an infusion of youth ahead of what could be Brock Purdy's last cheap year. In this mock draft, we improve the roster at two clear areas of need.
Round 1, Pick 31: Kingsley Suamataia, OT, BYU
The 49ers addressed almost every hole in free agency. The one they paid the least attention to is the one that looms largest after their Super Bowl 58 defeat to the Kansas City Chiefs.
San Francisco's right side of the offensive line was a problem all year long and its struggles in the Super Bowl illustrated the glaring need for upgrades.
Starting right tackle Colton McKivitz received a one-year extension but that should not preclude the Niners from taking a superior long-term option from a deep crop of tackles.
Amarius Mims represents the archetype of a dominant right tackle, but there's a decent chance the Georgia phenom will be off the board by the time the 49ers pick. The same can be said of the ultra-athletic Tyler Guyton out of Oklahoma.
It could come down, therefore, to Suamataia or Jordan Morgan from Arizona.
Morgan looks the better athlete on tape, however, they ran the exact same 40 time (5.04), with his 10-yard split of 1.69 seconds only slightly better than that of Suamataia (1.73). It was Suamataia who gained the superior athletic composite score the Combine workout, receiving a 93.1% to Morgan's 88.3%.
The difference there is reflective of a difference in frame. Suamataia is 326 pounds and Morgan is 311. That gap shows up on tape. While he does still have issues against a leveraged bull rush, Suamataia is more consistent in being able to drop the anchor and shut defenders down. On top of that, he has strong, powerful hands with arms over 34 inches long that allow him to quickly land an effective strike on opposing rushers and regularly lock his hands on.
By contrast, Morgan's arms are under 33in and that has led to talk of him moving inside to guard. While Morgan has excellent movement skills and does a superb job of getting into his pass set quickly and staying square with rushers, he is regularly beaten to the punch. Suamataia can have problems when rushers are able to deflect his initial strike, but the extra length and the quickness of his hands gives him an edge.
The most decided edge in Suamataia's favor has nothing to do with the tape, though. It's far less subjective than that. Suamataia only turned 21 in January. Morgan will be 23 before the season starts. Morgan, if picked in the first round with a fifth-year option picked up, will be 28 by the time he negotiates a second contract. Suamataia will be 26 with his prime years still ahead of him.
He is the younger but yet more polished prospect. Morgan may be better in space in the run game, but the difference is not enough to overcome all the points in Suamataia's favor.
Round 2, Pick 63: Christian Haynes, OG, UConn
The 49ers re-signed Jon Feliciano, who proved himself their best option at right guard late in the 2023 season, to a one-year deal.
But San Francisco needs a long-term option at that spot, and former fourth-round pick Spencer Burford has provided an increasing amount of evidence to suggest it is not him.
Enter Haynes, a violent, athletic and experienced right guard who posted the fourth highest athletic composite score (95.4%) among offensive linemen at the Combine.
Effortlessly smooth to the second level and an extremely effective puller, Haynes does tremendous work as a run blocker in space and consistently ensures he lands an effective block when he gets to his defender in the open field.
He plays with an edge to his game that is instantly obvious on tape, displaying a mean streak and disregard for defenders even in blowouts of which UConn was frequently on the wrong end. Haynes has the power to displace defenders in the run game, with reach blocks no problem for a player who has all the tools to make an instant impact in a scheme built heavily around zone-blocking.
Pass protection is more of an adventure. Haynes can be beaten to the punch and driven backwards and he has been guilty of playing with too much forward lean and ducking his head into contact. However, Haynes' smaller stature gives him a natural leverage advantage and he has demonstrated the ability to drop the anchor and play with impressive knee bend.
Constantly alert to the threat of stunts, Haynes keeps his head on a swivel to seek out work in both the run and the pass game. He has a combination of athleticism, violence and awareness that the 49ers should adore. If he's still on the board at 63, the Niners should run the card in.
Round 3, Pick 94: Max Melton, CB, Rutgers
The 49ers have done a lot of homework on Melton, meeting with him "five or six times" since the Senior Bowl, per Eric Edholm of NFL.com.
That is not surprising given the 49ers' need at slot corner and Melton's tape, which suggests he would be an excellent fit.
Melton played inside and out at Rutgers but, at 5ft 11in and 187 pounds, is most likely destined for the slot at the next level.
Still his versatility will also be a part of his appeal, as will the varied approach he takes to coverage. Melton is a fluid athlete whose outstanding short-area quickness and impressive long speed that allows him to stay in-phase downfield were both on show at the Combine, where he recorded an athletic composite score of 88.5%, the seventh-highest among defensive backs.
But Melton doesn't just lean on those athletic gifts. Instead he plays above his size and often gets very physical with receivers, jamming them at the line in press and using his hands to help him stay in tight coverage. With excellent stop-start quickness that allowed him to hold his own against Marvin Harrison Jr, it's no wonder the 2023 season saw Melton allow a career-low passer rating of 65.7, per Pro Football Focus.
That rating is also a product of Melton's awareness in zone coverage, in which he consistently plays with great eyes to the quarterback. With eight interceptions and 21 pass breakups over the last three season, there's also no doubt about his on-ball production either.
Melton's physicality extends to the run game. Aggressive run support is a pre-requisite for 49er defensive backs and, given the amount of boxes he ticks, there's every chance the prospect who grew up a Niners fan could become their long-term slot corner next month.
San Francisco 49ers’ potential first-round gamble impresses at his long-awaited pro day workout
He finally got his chance.
