UCLA9er Mock Draft: 2018

I decided to do this mock without any theoretical trades but I think we will definitely be active on draft day, particularly if one of the QB's drops to us at 9. I think we all gotta keep an eye on those early 3rd round picks as well because they may very well be moved. If one of the prospects the regime loves begins to slide in the second to a position that they didn't expect, I think they will make a move. I don't expect Lynch to be able to wait until the late second to make a selection, I think his style of play as a player permeates into his style as a GM, he is naturally aggressive and goes after the guys he really likes. There will be a lot of those guys left in the early second round. I didn't create a trade scenario because that is more guessing than I care to do, just know I called it! Those early thirds are very valuable however, and if we don't move one of them to trade up into the second it's great draft capital to have regardless, and I think it is very important we hit on our picks there.

For my mock offseason, I tried to make sure it was a feasible and matched the "aggressively prudent" mindset that we heard the niners would be taking into year 2 of the ShanaLynch Era. I don't expect the niners to sign guys to big contracts that they have doubts about due to pressure to improve. I believe they will remain steadfast in their vision. We will make a few splash signings but nothing that will potentially jeopardize what we are trying to build. Whether it be an overinflated contract for a free agent that is part of an under represented position group this Free Agency class, or a guy with character issues, I expect the niners to do exactly what they have been saying they will, which is still such a refreshing change . In the draft I tried to target guys that were high character, and altogether just good ball players.

I think the regime and Jimmy believe in Kilgore, but they won't miss an opportunity to get better, in an ideal world Kilgore is a backup. Hopefully having to really good guards next to him will take some pressure of of him and raise his level of play. I think this draft and free agency class will really help our run game and red zone offense. I am also hopeful that it will patch together the holes we have on defense at least until next year where we can round out the defense with more top end talent.

I hope you guys like what I consider a potential offseason that I would be very happy with. I know we all have different ideas and I look forward to hearing all of your thoughts.I left out some of the resignings / departures etc. but I tried to touch on all of the major additions and subtractions. I also left out contract details, but I think this is a feasible scenario. Anyway, here it is y'all. I hope you enjoy the read!

I'll be updating my offseason to match the actual signings and departures

Departures:
Carlos Hyde----->Browns
Eric Reid----->???
Aaron Lynch----->Bears
Tank Carradine-----> Raiders

Resign:
Brock Coyle

Free Agency:
Prediction: Sign CB Malcolm Butler / Reality: Sign CB Richard Sherman
Prediction: Sign G Andrew Norwell / Reality: Address position in draft
Prediction: Sign LB Paul Poluszny (Short term insurance.) / Reality: Address position in draft
Prediction: Sign Mid-level Center to challenge Kilgore. / Reality: Sign Top Flight Center, Weston Richburg
Reality: Sign RB Jerick Mckinnon to be the do-it-all back

Draft:
Round 1 pick #9: Quenton Nelson,Guard, Notre Dame.

Blue Chip foundational player kinda guy. Very intelligent lineman that consistently mauls whoever he lines up against. We gotta protect the franchise and this dude will give our line a mean streak. All-Pro for the next 10 years, with a freakish build for an offensive lineman, cant miss prospect.


Round 2: Pick #59 Dorance Armstrong Jr. ,Edge, Kansas.

An edge rusher that will compliment the other pieces we already have in place on our line. Scheme change hurt his production this year but Saleh will let him loose after the QB and he will feast when he has the opportunity to play a position that suit his strengths. 20 tackles for loss and 10 sacks in 2016, before Kansas asked him to play a role on defense that hurt his production in 2017.
Targets if we move up: Leighton Vander Esch, LB, Boise St, D.J. Moore, WR, Maryland. Love both these guys but I feel like they will be out of reach where we currently are. Sucks we have to worry about accounting for Linebacker again. I would understand a lot of potential directions we could go in the first Corner (Jackson), LB (Edmunds, Smith.), or Guard (Nelson) in the first. It will be hard to replicate or get anything close to a Foster level player if we wait, but such is life.

Round 3 Pick #70: Rashaad Penny,RB, San Diego St.
Our new Bell Cow to replace Carlos, Good scheme fit and Uber productive in College. Simple as that.


Round 3 Pick #74 Michael Gallup, WR, Colorado St.
High Ceiling kinda guy, still developing but already a playmaker with the ball in his hands. With a little refinement I think he will be a great weapon for Jimmy G and Kyle to have at their disposal. Gallup has also shown that he plays bigger than he is, and he has an ability to high point the ball, something that we know Kyle is looking for in some of his new receiving targets.


Round 4 Pick #128 Quenton Meeks, CB, Stanford.
Tough, Hard-nosed corner. He is a sure fire tackler with good ball skills. He drops some in the draft because of his lack of top end speed and how deep this cornerback class is. He does get beat periodically but his ball skills and tackling ability bail him out. In the pros when the throws are better, and the receivers are faster things might not always go that way. He has some things to work on but I think he will be a contribute at the next player. He is one of those guys where the intangibles don't necessarily pop off the screen, but he's just a flat out good, intelligent player. He will make up for his lack of top end speed with playmaking ability and willingness to play to scheme.


Round 5 Pick # 143 Tyler Conklin, TE, Central Michigan (Shoutout Joe Show, he's on board with this one.)
6'4 240 pound former basketball player turned tight end that has the requisite toughness and athleticism to make him valuable here. He has shown some uncanny catching ability and a willingness to block, but his bread and butter will be in the red zone where Jimmy can just throw it up for him. If he improves his route running and yards after contact, Conklin and Kittle could form into something special down the road.


Round 6 Pick #184 Jack Cichy, LB, Wisconsin.
Cichy missed the entire 2017 season with a knee injury but before he suffered the injury he was a captain for a very good badgers team. Despite his slightly less than ideal frame for an ILB and lack of elite speed, he is still extremely productive when he has been healthy, In large part due to his football instincts and play recognition. He has good hips and can change direction well. If he hadn't suffered an injury before the season this year I think he would have likely gone in the third. Teams will be scared of his injury history, which makes this a value pick. If he pans out we land a leader and great player, and if he doesn't we missed on a 6th round pick.


Round 7 Pick #227 Chase Edmonds, RB, Fordham.
I decided to double down at running back in this draft, not because I have given up on Joe Williams, but I believe Iron Sharpens Iron and Chase Edmonds was my BPA at this point in the draft. Edmonds is 5'9 205, but has really solid legs. His ability to gather, change direction quickly, and burst through a hole is a coveted trait that Kyle looks for in his running backs. That coupled with Edmonds proven chops as a receiver, I think he is a perfect fit. Edmonds has elite balance and consistently runs through arm tackles. He played against lower level competition but was extremely productive, earning All American honors in 2015/2016. Missed some time due to injury but was a four year starter, so durability isn't a huge concern. I envision him as a 3rd dow back in a running back by committee approach.


Round 7 Pick #240 Edge Joe Ostman (Joe Show down with this one too.)
He has been overlooked because he is undersized at his position but has a relentless motor. 14 sacks in 2017, which lead the entire FBS. I don't necessarily see him as an Edge player in the pros, possibly a linebacker? What I do envision, however, is him contributing immediately on special teams, you can never have too many high effort guys on special teams. I have read he is a workout junkie and will give the team his everything if he is given the chance. That is the kind of guy I want the niners to fill out the back end of their roster with.

Mods, can you please move this to the mock draft sub forum? Sorry I posted this here.

Very nice, the additions to Norwell and Nelson would be amazing but honestly I think if Norwell is signed the niners go a different position the G with the 9th pick..I love the rest, that's my only thing I disagree with..great job and thanks..

I'd love this draft.

Not bad at all 😎

This would be an A+ draft

Would love this draft!!

Originally posted by jersey49er:

Very nice, the additions to Norwell and Nelson would be amazing but honestly I think if Norwell is signed the niners go a different position the G with the 9th pick..I love the rest, that's my only thing I disagree with..great job and thanks..

This.

Very well done! Love the double ups at RB and Leo (especially the Ostman pick late). If we get Norwell, than I think the Niners go elsewhere at #9. That is the only thing I would change. Great job!

Originally posted by jersey49er:

Very nice, the additions to Norwell and Nelson would be amazing but honestly I think if Norwell is signed the niners go a different position the G with the 9th pick..I love the rest, that's my only thing I disagree with..great job and thanks..

Thanks man, and thanks everyone! Yeah I feel ya, i do really dig the idea of that Line as a whole though. I would just have a really hard time skipping over Nelson if he is there when we pick, even if we had already signed Norwell. I like him as a prospect that much.

I am excited to see what Garnett can do this year with a revamped body. Maybe another idea would be to hold off on Norwell and allocate that money somewhere else.

If we signed Norwell and we decided to go another direction, the prospects I would consider would be Edmunds, Smith, Jackson, and Ward. + Chubb if he somehow fell.

Originally posted by UCLA9er:

Originally posted by jersey49er:

Very nice, the additions to Norwell and Nelson would be amazing but honestly I think if Norwell is signed the niners go a different position the G with the 9th pick..I love the rest, that's my only thing I disagree with..great job and thanks..

Thanks man, and thanks everyone! Yeah I feel ya, i do really dig the idea of that Line as a whole though. I would just have a really hard time skipping over Nelson if he is there when we pick, even if we had already signed Norwell. I like him as a prospect that much.

I am excited to see what Garnett can do this year with a revamped body. Maybe another idea would be to hold off on Norwell and allocate that money somewhere else.

If we signed Norwell and we decided to go another direction, the prospects I would consider would be Edmunds, Smith, Jackson, and Ward. + Chubb if he somehow fell.

Yeah I'm also intrigued to see how Garnett looks, would be great if he comes into camp looking and playing great.. as far as Nelson I agree he's going to great and it would be hard to pass on him, I doubt he makes it to 9-10 tho, I'm absolutely in the same boat as you when it comes to the prospects you would consider except Edmunds yet only bc I kno very little about him, he's one guy at the combine I'm definitely going to glued to the tv watching..

Originally posted by m_brockalexander:

Very well done! Love the double ups at RB and Leo (especially the Ostman pick late). If we get Norwell, than I think the Niners go elsewhere at #9. That is the only thing I would change. Great job!

Thank you! What direction do you think you would go given we signed Norwell? I just think that would be a beast of a line/ help our running game and passing game flourish.

My reasoning is this, shanahan is so adept with scheme, that he can put guys in position to succeed and overachieve. It's harder to do that on the line, you can either beat your man or you can't, and things go haywire for the entire offense when guys are consistently whooped. I just love the idea of 1. Building a foundation on the line to protect the franchise, Jimmy G. and 2. Suring up our line so that our entire offense can stay in rhythm, without our guards being beat left and right. Yes we will still have weaknesses else where but I don't think we will be able to fix everything in just two offseasons. I totally understand where everyone else is coming from, the above was just my mindset.

Originally posted by jersey49er:

Yeah I'm also intrigued to see how Garnett looks, would be great if he comes into camp looking and playing great.. as far as Nelson I agree he's going to great and it would be hard to pass on him, I doubt he makes it to 9-10 tho, I'm absolutely in the same boat as you when it comes to the prospects you would consider except Edmunds yet only bc I kno very little about him, he's one guy at the combine I'm definitely going to glued to the tv watching..

I'm so excited dude, draft day is the second coming of Christmas for me lol. Yeah man, I'm unsure about him too he displays freakish ability one play, but a head scratcher the next. He is still very young though, only 19 I believe. I don't like betting on upside, but he has a s**tload of it haha

Really like a lot of your picks and love the work and effort put in to this mock. Like others mentioned Norwell and Nelson is overkill at Guard. One or the other and we are good.

Nice draft