Mock drafts are usually all over the place, especially once you move beyond the first round. The perception of needs and best fits for each team varies depending on the individual projecting the selections. That's what made the three seven-round San Francisco 49ers mock drafts created by 49ers Webzone staff members Aaron Erickson, Al Sacco, and Zain Naqvi so interesting. Their mock drafts had two players that appeared within each.

The trio shared their mock drafts during the latest No Huddle Podcast episode. They revealed their mocks to each other while recording the show, which means they did not collaborate while creating their lists.

The first player who appeared within each of the three seven-round mock drafts was guard Austin Corbett out of Nevada. Erickson had the offensive lineman falling to the 49ers in the third round while both Sacco and Naqvi had him going to San Francisco in the second round.

"I really feel like he can start right away and he's a Kyle Shanahan kind of guy where I think he can really fit into that system," Sacco said of Corbett. "And it's certainly a position of need, and I feel like that's a really good pick for them in the second round."


Naqvi stresses the importance of the 49ers protecting their $137.5 million investment in quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo.

"He's one of those guys who can do everything well and can play at a Pro Bowl level," Naqvi added. "And he's got versatility too. His main position is guard, but he also started 12 games at tackle in his college career. So he can flip over to tackle as well [in case of] injuries or for whatever reason. Some people even see him as a center long-term."

Erickson has the 49ers grabbing Corbett 11 selections later than where Sacco and Naqvi have him.

"I think this is an uncommon year for guards, but I don't see five going in the first two rounds," Erickson said. "I think he's going to be there."

While he can see Corbett struggling early with aspects of his game like leverage, Erickson views the offensive lineman as a player who can eventually help solidify the offensive line.


The second player who appeared within each of their mock drafts was cornerback Quenton Meeks of Stanford, who participated in the 49ers' local pro day this week and would love to play on the same team as another former Cardinal – Richard Sherman.

"That would be a dream come true just to learn from the best," Meeks told reporters on Wednesday. "I think he's still the best corner in the game right now. It takes someone who really knows how to study corners to see what he does really well. He always disrupts the receivers, the amount of times he gets thrown at in a game is very little. It's because if you throw at him, there's a big chance that it's going to get intercepted."

Sacco had the 49ers selecting Meeks in the fourth round following his previous selection of another cornerback – Tarvarus McFadden out of Florida State.

"Meeks is another guy, long, 6-2, 205 pounds, he's got good size, he plays big," Sacco said. "[...] He's just another guy that I think you can get out there that is insurance (in case Sherman cannot play right away) and can eventually play a big role in this defense. I definitely like his fit in this scheme.

"Like we said, the Niners, we know what kind of corner they want. They want those long, sort of rangy cornerbacks, and I have them getting two in back-to-back rounds here."


Naqvi and Erickson have the 49ers selecting Meeks 15 picks later in the fifth round.

"He's tremendous in run support," Erickson says of Meeks. "In my mind, he's got a couple of things he's got to work on that lead him here (to the fifth round). He occasionally overruns. His hip-to-hip positioning on the fade makes him susceptible to the back shoulder, but he really is a technician."

Despite any deficiencies that Meeks might have, Erickson sees the 49ers' defensive scheme as a perfect fit for the young corner.

"A college cornerback that doesn't necessarily have years and years of confidence in the role will protect themselves from getting beat, and he's not at all afraid to crowd a receiver all the way down the field," he added. "I really like that. I like the confidence."

Naqvi feels that Meeks' similarities in size and skill to Sherman and second-year cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon make him a plug-and-play player should he need to fill in for either.


"Getting a guy like Quenton Meeks gives them the ability to run the same scheme because he's got the same measurables," Naqvi said.

You can listen to the detailed explanations for each of their selections within the latest podcast episode, available below.


Here are the trio's complete seven-round mock drafts.

Aaron Erickson Al Sacco Zain Naqvi
Round 1
Pick 9		 Harold Landry
DE, Boston College		 Roquan Smith
LB, Georgia		 Harold Landry
DE, Boston College
Round 2
Pick 27		 Ogbonnia Okoronkwo
LB, Oklahoma		 Austin Corbett
G, Nevada		 Austin Corbett
G, Nevada
Round 3
Pick 6		 Austin Corbett
G, Nevada		 Josh Sweat
DE, Florida State		 Rashaad Penny
RB, San Diego State
Round 3
Pick 10		 Genard Avery
LB, Memphis		 Tarvarus McFadden
CB, Florida State		 Josey Jewell
LB, Iowa
Round 4
Pick 28		 Daurice Fountain
WR, Northern Iowa		 Quenton Meeks
CB, Stanford		 Auden Tate
WR, Florida State
Round 5
Pick 6		 Quenton Meeks
CB, Stanford		 Auden Tate
WR, Florida State		 Quenton Meeks
CB, Stanford
Round 6
Pick 10		 Siran Neal
S, Jacksonville State		 Ben Johnson
TE, Kansas		 Byron Pringle
WR, Kansas State
Round 7
Pick 5		 Mark Thompson
RB, Florida		 Garrett Dooley
LB, Wisconsin		 Holton Hill
CB, Texas
Round 7
Pick 22		 Brett Toth
T, Army		 Gus Edwards
RB, Rutgers		 Foyesade Oluokun
LB/DB, Yale

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