The 49ers’ list of pre-draft visits is beginning to take shape, as more players are reported to be among the team’s maximum of 30 official visits to Santa Clara. Check out the updated list here.
Now, we go to our latest edition of 49ers Mailbag with questions submitted via Twitter: . .
Q: Jimmy GQ signed long term and staff loves CJ’s attitude and toughness, but do you think they use another day 2 selection to round out the QB room? (@Budafruco)
A: It would be an upset if the 49ers’ top two quarterbacks to open the season are not Jimmy Garoppolo and C.J. Beathard. The 49ers can keep Garoppolo and Beathard together as the starter and backup through the 2020 season (the duration of Beathard’s contract).
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The 49ers would be expected to add a fourth quarterback to their 90-man roster to join Nick Mullens. But it would not make sense for them to draft a quarterback on Day 2 – that is a second- or third-round draft pick.
The 49ers could add a late-round draft pick or, simply, wait to sign an undrafted rookie.
Q: What are the chances the niners trade with a team that's looking to move up in the draft? (@SF_a7x)
A: My guess is the only way the 49ers’ pick at No. 9 overall becomes a hot commodity is if one of the top four quarterbacks – Sam Darnold, Josh Allen, Josh Rosen or Baker Mayfield -- is not chosen within the top eight.
So it is a win-win for the 49ers. If four quarterbacks are chosen within the top eight, the 49ers will, at worst, end up with the No. 5 non-QB on their draft board. If there is a quarterback available, the 49ers might have the option of trading back and picking up additional draft picks.
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Q: What are the chances we make a move up for Chubb? (@davidmakepeace)
A: Pass-rusher Bradley Chubb looks like a good fit for the 49ers’ “Leo” or elephant position. But when a team moves up within the top-10 of the draft, the cost of doing business is very high.
If there is one player for whom the 49ers might be tempted to move up to select, Chubb would be the most likely. But the price of doing business would be too high.
Q: If you are on the clock at 9, and the following players are there, who are you taking? Nelson, Fitzpatrick, Landry, Ward or R. Smith? (@YacovoneRick)
A: Let’s re-frame the question this way: Which of those players would the 49ers take?
Notre Dame guard Quenton Nelson – with his size, agility and smarts – would be about as good as it gets for a 49ers offense that puts a lot of stress on its guards. My guess is the two non-QBs who are the best fits for the 49ers in this draft are Chubb and Nelson.
After that, it’s uncertain.
I’m not sold on Ohio State cornerback Denzel Ward – due to his size and lack of physicality – being a fit for this defensive system. And Virginia Tech linebacker Tremaine Edmunds’ versatility, size and freakish athleticism places him on at least equal footing as Georgia linebacker Roquan Smith.
Boston College pass-rusher Harold Landry is an intriguing player whom the 49ers like more as they watch more of him.
Q: With all this talk about the addition of Cooper and the need to draft a guard... what happened to Josh Garnett? (@TellemFranky)
A: Joshua Garnett was never being counted upon to be a starter after the arrivals of Kyle Shanahan and John Lynch. When the decision was made to place him on season-ending injured reserve to start the season, the 49ers challenged Garnett to get in better physical condition to handle the requirements of the guard position in this offense.
But Garnett’s presence was never going to dissuade the 49ers from trying to improve the competition in free agency. And, certainly, his presence would not prevent the 49ers from spending a draft pick on a guard, either.
The 49ers signed Jonathan Cooper as a free agent, and Laken Tomlinson returns after starting 15 games last season at left guard. Even without adding anyone in the draft, the competition at guard already looks better than it did at any point last season.
