Phoenix49ers Mock Draft v1.0

While I normally try to avoid trades, I can't help but feel like some are coming this year so here's my best shot at coming up with a few including players that I think will fill vital needs, short and long term.

Round 1-Pick 13-49ers trade down with the Miami Dolphins, picking up Miami's pick #18 and pick #70 in the 3rd round. Miami moves up to take one of the last of the remaining top tackles on the board in Wirfs or Becton.

Round 1-Pick 18-49ers trade down with the Minnesota Vikings, picking up Minnesota's pick #22 and their comp pick in the late 3rd, Pick #105. Minnesota jumps up to solidify their top WR choice in Justin Jefferson ahead of the WR hungry Eagles. A duo of Jefferson and Thielen gives the Vikings a versatile duo of pass catchers that can win in all areas of the field.

Round 1-Pick 22-Yetur Gross-Matos-DE-Penn. I can already hear some people groaning but YGM is solid value at this point in the draft and would help to fortify a strength from last season. The 49ers made it to the playoffs and the SB largely on the backs of their pass rush and run game. Gross-Matos is a move towards locking in that advantage long term. Not only would he give Kocurek, who loves a deep rotation, outstanding depth at edge rusher but now you have both Ford insurance and his long term replacement in-house. You could even run all three out on the field at the same time on passing downs, putting either Bosa or YGM at 3T to throw offenses a different look. While he's not the lightning quick edge that some may be looking for YGM gives you a true three down DE that can thrive against the run and against the pass. Having him work with Bosa in upgrading his pass rush arsenal could help in fully unlocking his potential Snatching him up also deprives Seattle of what is widely considered to be their more likely choice to fill up their pass rush woes.



Round 1 Pick 31-Brandon Aiyuk-WR-ASU. Better prospect than Harry was last year and a natural fit for this offense. There's a good chance that Aiyuk is gone by this point but if he's still on the board, he makes all the sense in the world for the 49ers. He'd be a nice complement to Deebo and Kittle, another threat that can win quickly and create huge plays through his ability to pick up yards after the catch. I don't see that much separating him and many of the receivers that came before him. He wouldn't have pressure on him to deliver as a #1 WR and Shanahan could run some of the same packages for Aiyuk as he's done for Deebo. If Taylor and Hurd can return to health, 49ers should be set at WR for years to come.



Round 3-Pick 70-Matt Hennessy-C-Temple. Perfect fit as a zone blocking center. Athleticism, outstanding football IQ and instincts, he's what you're looking for in this offense. Hennessy instantly provides valuable depth and could challenge as a potential starter at guard. The long term solution at center as an eventual replacement for Richburg. Has been in leadership positions going back to his early days in high school.



Round 3-Pick 105-McTelvin Agim-DT-Arkansas. Provides a replacement for Buckner, at least on passing downs. Akim spent most of his time in college at DE so he's still a work in progress but he comes with very good athleticism, an explosive first step, and a nonstop motor to develop into a solid penetrating 3T. He was really the only defensive player of note for the Razorbacks so he drew a ton of attention from opposing offenses and still managed to make plays consistently. Well regarded for his leadership ability and was chosen as a team captain.



Round 5-Pick 156-Dane Jackson-CB-Pitt. He is someone that has grown on me. He's a confident, hard-nosed player who isn't shy about mixing it up with bigger receivers, was highly productive throughout his college career and is a very good overall fit for a Cover 3 scheme. Doesn't have jaw-dropping athleticism but plays a smart and tough brand of football. Was a permanent team captain.



Round 5-Pick 176-J.R. Reed-SS-Georgia Son of former NFL WR Jake Reed. Potential replacement for Marcel Harris. Experienced college starter and team captain. Won't dazzle physically or athletically but is smart, plays disciplined and can also contribute on special teams.



Round 6-Pick 210-Josiah Deguara-TE/FB-Cincinnati. Can provide depth at talent as well as insurance for Juice. An able and willing blocker at TE, Deguara is a well rounded prospect, an intense competitor and a team captain, he could contribute instantly on special teams and as a #3 TE.



Round 7-Pick 217-Kyle Hinton-OG-Washburn. Small school lineman who has had a very good offseason. He's someone that the 49ers have shown interest in and has the athleticism and football IQ to work as a lineman in this scheme. At this point in the draft, he's worth a shot, either as a developmental prospect that works his way onto the roster or a guy to continue working with on the practice squad.



Round 7-Pick 245-Aaron Parker-WR-Rhode Island. One of two well regarded WR prospects from Rhode Island this year. Parker has the size, physicality and agility to work well in this offense as a big slot receiver. He's an eager run blocker and a capable redzone threat. Another team captain.

I thought about YGM a few days ago, and I think he is someone that Lynch probably loves. He profiles a lot like Carlos Dunlap (just a little smaller) and he is someone that can slide inside on third down and get to the QB. Bosa - Armstead - Gross-Matos - Ford on third down is pretty exciting. Picking him up would also allow them to move on from Ford after this year and gain some cap space.

I love the Aiyuk and Hennessy picks.

Agim is someone I thought would be there in the fifth round, but it seems like he is moving up quickly. Love the player, love the fit. Third round seems right for him. The rest of the picks I don't mind. I think they might go QB with one of those picks, but that's just my opinion.

Overall, I would be thrilled with this draft.

Id be in heaven. DL set for years. Pass catchers set for years. Upgrade at IOL.

Next year we only have CB and OT

I like this draft with the exception of Yetur Gross-Matos. Tremendous run defender, leaves a lot to be desired w/ regards to his pass rush imo.

Surprising that you would take the EDGE in the first, but it's a good pick to keep our front four dominant. Like some of the same players (Hennessy, Agim, Deguara and the Rhode Island WR's) and your draft covers all the positions of need. Would be very happy if the draft turned out this way. Really well done.

Originally posted by saniner:
I thought about YGM a few days ago, and I think he is someone that Lynch probably loves. He profiles a lot like Carlos Dunlap (just a little smaller) and he is someone that can slide inside on third down and get to the QB. Bosa - Armstead - Gross-Matos - Ford on third down is pretty exciting. Picking him up would also allow them to move on from Ford after this year and gain some cap space.

I love the Aiyuk and Hennessy picks.

Agim is someone I thought would be there in the fifth round, but it seems like he is moving up quickly. Love the player, love the fit. Third round seems right for him. The rest of the picks I don't mind. I think they might go QB with one of those picks, but that's just my opinion.

Overall, I would be thrilled with this draft.

Who YGM reminds me of most->

http://www.nfl.com/combine/profiles/chandler-jones?id=2533538

Originally posted by Wolf_Packer_53:
I like this draft with the exception of Yetur Gross-Matos. Tremendous run defender, leaves a lot to be desired w/ regards to his pass rush imo.

I think he's a better pass rusher than run defender. He sometimes gets bogged down and you can see him getting frustrated against OL that are able to anticipate his moves but mostly I think he's just in need of some proper coaching and a scheme like what the 49ers run might be the best overall fit for him, letting him just get after the QB and not having to overthink things. Having him spend time around Bosa would be really good for him IMO. He's got a pretty high ceiling if he upgrades his pass rush move arsenal and is aligned with the right scheme and coaching. I think he could be a beast in this defense and still has room to add more weight.

Would love it, YGM is 1 of my crushes who I think has the potential to be and will be a superstar in the league, Aiyuk is a nice choice assuming Mims is gone at 31, Hennessy will start day 1 I think assuming Richburg is not ready, not sure if he beats out Brunskill at G but at C he's the long term solution, Agim in a beast and will be a great rotational piece and future starter I believe, also like the depth in the secondary and TE position you added, this would be a great draft in my mind, thanks and great job Phoenix.

Damn, I Iove this draft! Matos will strengthen the edge position even more. When Ford got hurt, you can see our pass rush suffered some and having Matos on rotation with Bosa and Ford to keep them all fresh. I like Aiyuk the most after the big 3 and Hennessy will be the future and insurance just in case Richburg isn't ready yet. Agim, yes please. The rest are good. So for me also, trade down from 13. Nice job!

Originally posted by Phoenix49ers:

Who YGM reminds me of most->

http://www.nfl.com/combine/profiles/chandler-jones?id=2533538

I could live with that

I've said all off season that ER may be our biggest sneaky need. Well done.

Well done, man! Admittedly, I'm not the biggest fan of YGM, but I could live with the pick, especially if the rest of the draft shook out the way you've suggested.

Overall, nicely done. I like the drafts, and my last mock is also going to have a SF-MIA trade for the Dolphins to leapfrog the Bucs for OT.

Aiyuk is a solid replacement for Sanders. I am not concerned about him not being there, and would also entertain a trade back to a team that want a 5th year option for a premium position (e..g QB, EDGE). Hennessy is a good value selection and excellent scheme fit.

The main head scratchers for me are YGM and Agim. I get it if we are planning on cutting Ford loose in 1-2 seasons, but glaring needs at other positions make me think we can match BPA and need at #22. And for Agim...do we really want/need a replacement for K. Street? I rather get a pure DT than another hybrid because we need to address our interior run defense. We are dangerously thin at pure DTs.

I might be alone on this but I'm not a fan of YGM, not in the first anyway. I like the rest of the picks

John Ledyard is someone I value when it comes to evaluating the DL.

This is what he said.....

https://www.pewterreport.com/bucs-briefing-drafting-defense-free-agent-wr-to-target-nfc-south-bullets/2/

Scouting Gross-Matos: Nobody is going to deny that Gross-Matos looks the part, from his long arms to his tapered 6-5 frame. The junior defensive end is at his best utilizing his strength and length to win as a rusher, with long arm stabs and snatches to win the edge showing up on tape as his go-to moves.

When Gross-Matos wins as a pass rusher, it isn't because of his first step, his speed up the arc, his bend or overwhelming power. It's because he got into his opponent's pads first and forced them to overextend to match Gross-Matos' length, exposing their hands and leaving themselves vulnerable for an array of moves.

Gross-Matos rarely uses an array of moves however, instead opting for long arms or snatch-rips, or the occasional quick double swipe to slip inside of his opponent on over-sets. The moves are simple, yet effective, but Gross-Matos' lack of pass rush athleticism (burst, bend, speed) still leaves a lot to be desired.

Consistently late off the ball and often the last defender out of his stance, Gross-Matos simply doesn't challenge tackles with quickness off the ball or speed up the arc, rarely threatening the edge without some serious hand work. Hands are an excellent asset in the NFL, but rarely the primary way a top-tier edge rusher wins.

Burst, speed and bend are the name of the game, and although a rusher doesn't need to have them all, one helps a lot. Gross-Matos really doesn't offer any of these traits in abundance, getting stood up on the edge when he tries to work around the outside hip of opposing offensive tackles.

Lacking those key athletic traits isn't a death sentence, and Gross-Matos still flashes effectiveness as a rusher at times. But his hands are inconsistent and still in need of more development too, as Gross-Matos can get tied up body-to-body and see his rushes stall out a healthy amount of the time.

If power and hand usage are going to be your calling cards as a pass rusher, they need to be trump cards, and right now that isn't what Gross-Matos offers. His bull rush is far from deadly, and he plays too high to consistently walk tackles back and condense the pocket. Gross-Matos needs to get stronger, and a year in an NFL strength program should be one of the best outcomes of his rookie season.

The 264-pound edge defender has flashes of strong edge-setting and the ability to shed or slip blocks and make plays in the run game. He consistently back-doored zone schemes and was able to make plays behind the line of scrimmage. Some of his tackles-for-loss are cleanup work, but Gross-Matos also didn't stay solo blocked long, which could help him earn a little playing time as a rookie.

That being said, double teams and down blocks obliterated Gross-Matos at times, and he plays too high to be anywhere but outside the tackle on rushing plays. Penn State tried to utilize him head up on tackles or even at 3-technique on occasion, but those reps did not go well in the run game, and Gross-Matos was frustratingly ineffective as an interior pass rusher.

Originally posted by GEEK:
Overall, nicely done. I like the drafts, and my last mock is also going to have a SF-MIA trade for the Dolphins to leapfrog the Bucs for OT.

Aiyuk is a solid replacement for Sanders. I am not concerned about him not being there, and would also entertain a trade back to a team that want a 5th year option for a premium position (e..g QB, EDGE). Hennessy is a good value selection and excellent scheme fit.

The main head scratchers for me are YGM and Agim. I get it if we are planning on cutting Ford loose in 1-2 seasons, but glaring needs at other positions make me think we can match BPA and need at #22. And for Agim...do we really want/need a replacement for K. Street? I rather get a pure DT than another hybrid because we need to address our interior run defense. We are dangerously thin at pure DTs.

Street has played in a grand total of three games thus far. There's a real possibility that they've landed themselves another Tank Carradine. You can't give up an All Pro in DeForest Buckner and then stand pat with a bunch of unproven guys who have thus far resembled career backups or haven't been healthy enough to play period. You also have upcoming free agents with DJ Jones and there's no chance that the 49ers take on the fifth year option for Thomas either.

We saw what happened last year when Ford was out and teams had a much easier time neutralizing Bosa. Now take away Buckner and you could see the pass rush almost completely vanish altogether if Ford isn't healthy. I think an edge rusher and a true penetrating 3T are vital necessities. They made it to the SB because of their pass rush and their ability to run the football, you have to maintain those advantages or hope that Garoppolo somehow turns into Dan Marino.