49ers still have key needs to address entering Day 2 of the NFL Draft as value and upside remain on the board
The San Francisco 49ers drafted Georgia edge defender Mykel Williams with the 11th overall pick in the first round of the NFL Draft. That was a predictable move, attacking the most obvious need of the roster and with a player who complements what Nick Bosa does well.Williams was more of a run-stopper in college, and […]
The San Francisco 49ers drafted Georgia edge defender Mykel Williams with the 11th overall pick in the first round of the NFL Draft. That was a predictable move, attacking the most obvious need of the roster and with a player who complements what Nick Bosa does well.
Williams was more of a run-stopper in college, and a developmental pass rusher, but general manager John Lynch stressed how important it was for the 49ers to get a player who would be able to set the edge.
Now that the first round is over, the 49ers still have 10 draft picks—including three on Friday between the second and third rounds. There are needs to attack, and John Lynch has the ammunition to do so.
Defensive tackle
The 49ers released Javon Hargrave and Maliek Collins, so they need bodies on the interior of the defensive line. Even though they drafted Mykel Williams, putting more resources in the defensive front makes complete sense, especially after bringing defensive coordinator Robert Saleh back to the coaching staff. This is a strong class in terms of defensive tackle depth, so the front office can still find solid answers on Days 2 and 3.
Offensive line hybrid
The Niners lost Aaron Banks in free agency and Trent Williams is getting older, so the team could certainly use more offensive line depth. Ideally, the team would want a player who could compete for a starting job at guard immediately, and then eventually move to tackle. Right now, the projected starting guards are Ben Bartch and Dominick Puni. Puni is established on the right side, but there's room to grow on the left.
Cornerback
The 49ers lost Charvarius Ward, Isaac Yiadom, Rock Ya-Sin, and Nick McCloud in free agency, and added only depth pieces in Tre Brown and Siran Neal. In terms of high-end, long-term options, the draft will certainly be the best potential path to acquire the replacement for those lost pieces. Even though Saleh doesn't prioritize the secondary, it's still important to have difference-makers on the back end to give the defensive front more breathing room.
49ers stick to the script in the first round and make the safe pick, but it’s exactly what they needed to build for the future
Mykel Williams was the obvious choice for the Niners
