A theme is being worked out in multi-round simulation drafts involving the 49ers. Mac Jones is often the No. 3 pick in the overall standings, and a corner pick him with No. 43 in the second round. ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. kept up with that trend in his second draft drill, but his pick for San Francisco in the second round may be more intriguing than the third pick.
Jones has been closely linked with the 49ers since they got their place to No. 3, so it’s no big surprise that Kiper hooks him up in San Francisco. There seems to be some concern on the part of the analyst when it comes to Jones being the right choice.
From Kiper:
Is it the perfect fit for Shanahan’s offense? Only time will tell. Jones is my fourth ranked quarterback and is number 12 on my Big Board, and I’m not sure I see a superstar when I look at him on tape. It is solid and extremely accurate, but not spectacular. Lynch and Shanahan obviously have a long view here, and that decision will be discussed and debated for years.
Shanahan and the 49ers need Kiper to be wrong about Jones ’starry future. Changing a trio of first-round picks to move up to No. 3 usually requires more than one player on average to slightly above average. They need a superstar to keep them in contention for the Super Bowls for most of the next two decades.
Jones ’accolades are well known and his high level of processing and elite accuracy are the reason many analysts link the former Alabama star to the 49ers head coach. He completed 77.4% of his throws over 4,500 yards with 41 touchdowns and four interceptions last year for the national champions. There are a few points, but this superstar plateau will be harder to reach due to Jones ’lack of high-end physical tools.
The second selection of the 49ers in imitation of Kiper is fascinating. He has Georgia cornerback Tyson Campbell heading to San Francisco with the 43rd overall selection.
The lack of depth in this corner class means that finding a top-tier player may require the use of a relatively early second-round option. The 49ers have done a good job of reorganizing high school this offseason, but the depth of quality and the early years of this year are still an issue. Campbell can help both places.
Kiper points out that Campbell’s advantage is what jumps at the beginning of the second round:
Before the 49ers got to No. 3, I thought the corner was the most likely position to aim for No. 12. And they can still get a good position in round 2. and it was inconsistent, but I would bet on their lead. San Francisco let Ahkello Witherspoon and Richard Sherman walk in free agency.
Campbell’s advantage comes from his combination of size (6-1, 193 pounds) and athletics. It has a lot of speed that appears on the treadmill and its 4.4 on the 40-yard board. While there may be some concerns about his preparation on the first day, the 49ers won’t have to immediately move him to an initial role.
Jason Verrett and Emmanuel Moseley are the first to start the year. A full season to hone his 49ers defense skills would give Campbell a chance to realize the great advantage he brings with his physical tools.