NFL Media analyst Daniel Jeremiah released his third mock draft today. One of the most surprising aspects of the projection is UCLA quarterback Josh Rosen's fall all the way down to the 12th-overall pick, where the Buffalo Bills currently sit. Jeremiah was on NFL Total Access and said that if any player were to fall in the first round, he could envision it being Rosen, who is the second-best quarterback in the analyst's opinion.
But you're not here for Josh Rosen talk. The 49ers selection takes place three picks before Buffalo's, and Jeremiah has the team going defense with the selection of linebacker Roquan Smith out of Georgia – a popular choice for San Francisco among mock drafts.
Of course, Smith's popularity as a predicted 49ers draft pick probably has a lot to do with the trouble surrounding linebacker Reuben Foster, who faces multiple felony charges in relation to a February 11 arrest.
"With the 49ers stating that Reuben Foster's status with the team is under 'great scrutiny' in the wake of the domestic violence charges filed against him, picking Smith should be an easy decision for GM John Lynch," writes Jeremiah.
Smith arrived in the Bay Area last night for a pre-draft visit with the 49ers today. This week is the last that NFL teams can host prospects before next week's draft.
Roquan Smith, the 2017 Butkus Award winner, registered college career highs of 137 combined tackles, 14 for a loss, 6.5 sacks, two passes defensed, and two fumble recoveries in 15 games last year, according to Sports Reference. He also had a forced fumble. In 2016, Smith recorded 95 combined tackles, five for a loss, a pass defensed, two forced fumbles, and a fumble recovery in 13 games and 10 starts.