Some individuals attach great importance to mock drafts, while most of us recognize it as a futile activity intended to familiarize us with names and provide a general sense of where a player is likely to be chosen. You have another week of mock drafts to endure. However, let’s look back and imagine what life would be like for the San Francisco 49ers if they had selected the players mocked by the NFL Draft guru, ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr., instead of who Kyle Shanahan and John Lynch ultimately picked. We’ll go back to 2017 and evaluate which pick would have been better and how the roster would look today. We’ll only consider the first round. 2017 (No. 2) Kiper’s selection: Jamal Adams, S, LSU (Actually picked: New York Jets, No. 6) 49ers’ pick: Solomon Thomas, DL, Stanford Better pick: Thomas was drafted before the 49ers traded with the Chicago Bears. He was a reach as he was considered a tweener. If he had been drafted closer to 53 than 3, he would have been perceived differently. Adams, although not living up to his high draft status, is objectively a superior player. 2018 (No. 9) Kiper’s pick: Denzel Ward, CB, Ohio State (Actually picked: Cleveland Browns, No. 4) 49ers’ pick: Mike McGlinchey, OT, Notre Dame Better pick: McGlinchey was awarded a $87 million contract by the Denver Broncos. He wasn’t as bad as 49ers fans portrayed him, but he never performed like a top-10 pick. Ward, on the other hand, has done well for himself, earning $100 million from the Browns. He’s a star and a shutdown cornerback. He’s consistently been among the best in the league. Ward, like McGlinchey, has been plagued by injuries. But it’s hard to argue against picking him over McGlinchey. Ward would have been the better choice. 2019 (No. 2) Kiper’s pick: Nick Bosa, edge rusher, Ohio State 49ers’ pick: Nick Bosa, edge rusher, Ohio State Bosa was my top-ranked prospect, and the Niners had to improve their edge rush. An easy pick for GM John Lynch. Bosa was a must-have for the Niners. He was a generational talent and has lived up to the hype. 2020 (No. 14, No. 25) Kiper’s pick: Jerry Jeudy, WR, Alabama (Actually picked: No. 15, Denver Broncos) Antoine Winfield Jr., S, Minnesota (Actually picked: No 45, Tampa Bay Buccaneers) 49ers’ pick: Javon Kinlaw, DT, South Carolina Bradon Aiyuk, WR, Arizona State Better pick: Aiyuk is a significantly better pro player than Jeudy and a much better fit for Kyle Shanahan’s offense. On the other hand, Winfield Jr. is an All-Pro and one of the better players at his position. If Jeudy and Kinlaw offset each other, would you prefer Winfield or Aiyuk? No easy decision here. Winfield would thrive playing behind the 49ers defensive line. However, if Aiyuk were targeted as much as Mike Evans or a true WR1, his production would be higher. Push. 2021 (No. 3) Kiper’s pick: Mac Jones, QB, Alabama (Actually picked: No. 15, New England Patriots 49ers’ pick: Trey Lance, QB, North Dakota State Better pick: I’m standing by a talent like Lance over Jones every day of the week. Jones’ performance was predictable. He has a limited skill set and was supported by the talent around him at Alabama. Like most rookie quarterbacks, Trey was not given the chance to play early and learn on the fly. I don’t understand why he’s seen as a bust since we haven’t seen what he can do on a football field in a game setting. The sample size is too small to evaluate him. In an alternate universe, Lance plays as a rookie, the 49ers make the playoffs, fall short, and hit his stride in his second season. I hope someone gives him a chance. Based on the quarterbacks we’ve seen start in recent seasons, it seems presumptuous to say Lance couldn’t do better than some of them.
Mel Kiper’s mock draft picks vs. John Lynch’s actual picks: Who built the better roster for the 49ers?
