2020 NFL Draft: 49ers Wheel And Deal, Add Two Likely Starters

The defending NFC champion San Francisco 49ers entered the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft with two selections (13th and 31st overall). As expected, they were busy wheeling and dealing their way throughout the initial round and did not pick at either spot.

What wasn’t expected here is the fact that San Francisco ends Round 1 boasting less overall picks than it entered the draft with.

First off, general manager John Lynch and Co. moved down one spot with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, picking up a fourth-round selection in the process. With that pick, San Francisco brought in a replacement for the recently-traded DeForest Buckner in that of South Carolina defensive tackle Javon Kinlaw.

San Francisco then made the surprising decision to move up from 31st overall to the 25th pick with the Minnesota Vikings. Knowing full well that they were targeting a receiver early, the 49ers picked up Arizona State pass catcher Brandon Aiyuk. They also gave up the fourth-round pick acquired in the trade with Tampa Bay and a fifth-round selection.

Like we have seen throughout the Lynch-Kyle Shanahan era, this duo played their cards close to the vest. Not many had linked San Francisco to Aiyuk. Rather, it was all about the top-three receivers in the class in that of Henry Ruggs, Jerry Jeudy and CeeDee Lamb. The 49ers passed up on both Jeudy and Lamb at 14.

In any event, here’s what we learned from the first-round of the 2020 NFL Draft and how the 49ers navigated through it.

There’s definitely a feel-good story here in that Aiyuk grew up a 49ers fan right next to their old training camp facility in Rocklin. He made it clear just how excited he was to join an organization he grew up rooting for.

It goes without saying that the 6-foot pass catcher is everything that San Francisco looks for in a wide receiver. He compares favorably to stud youngster Deebo Samuel and likens himself to Pro Bowl receiver Odell Beckham Jr. Remember, Shanahan has gone after Beckham Jr. on the trade block several times over the past two years.

Aiyuk’s ability after the catch is something that stood out to the 49ers’ brass. He averaged nearly 10 yards after the catch during a brilliant career with the Sun Devils. The tape speaks for itself.

With that said, this selection is somewhat surprising in that the 49ers passed up on two players who a majority of experts believed were perfect fits for the team. Alabama’s Jerry Jeudy went 15th overall to the Denver Broncos. Meanwhile, the Dallas Cowboys added CeeDee Lamb from Oklahoma with the 17th pick. Both represented value. Each player is seen as a better pro prospect than Aiyuk.

San Francisco has its type of receiver. Obviously, Jeudy and Lamb did not fit that mold in the team’s mind. It goes against group-think. But again, that’s been the MO of this front office over the course of its four drafts together.

The selection of Kinlaw was not as much of a surprise. While some pushed back against adding a rookie defensive tackle to directly replace an All-Pro in that of Buckner, it makes sense.

The 6-foot-5, 324-pound Kinlaw can play multiple positions a long the defensive line. He’s almost guaranteed to be an immediate starter as a rookie and is a disruptive force as an interior pass rusher. The traits remind me very much of a young Buckner.

The 49ers have made it clear that they want the success we saw last season to be duplicated over the long term. Rather than pay Buckner $22 million annually, they add a younger version of the stud defensive lineman. Rather than pay an aging Emmanuel Sanders, San Francisco brought in a perfect fit to go with Deebo Samuel and George Kittle.

Sure these selections will be questioned. That’s what happens every year for every team around draft time. But at this point, we should learn to trust what Lynch and Shanahan have planned.

The larger issue here is a lack of draft picks moving forward over the next two days. San Francisco has no selections in Rounds 2-4. It picks just once in each of the final three rounds of the draft.

As I discussed leading up to the annual event, San Francisco also has veteran players it could look to move. Star defenders Dee Ford, Kwon Alexander and Jaquiski Tartt have been bandied about recently. They are joined by lesser players in that of quarterback Nick Mullens, running backs Matt Breida and Tevin Coleman as well as receivers Marquise Goodwin and Dante Pettis.

Whether the 49ers can add value in trading a few of these players remains to be seen. But Lynch and Co. are going to be working the phones big time on Friday making sure no stone is left unturned.

There’s still some major needs on both sides of the ball for the defending NFC champs. Thursday’s events did little to change that from a broader perspective.