‘Tis the season for mock drafts.
ESPN draft analyst Todd McShay recently released his first 2020 mock draft (subscription required), and, as expected, it didn’t disappoint, as there are a few names that should at least be worth water cooler talk among draft pundits.
This includes injured Alabama junior quarterback Tua Tagovailoa still going in the top 5. McShay has Tagovailoa headed to Miami at pick No. 4.
Another surprise was seeing Ohio State talented junior running back J.K. Dobbins sneak in the first round of McShay’s draft at No. 31 to San Francisco. As McShay points out, San Francisco is No. 2 in the league in rushing despite using “a plethora of backs.”
“I like the idea of bringing in another versatile offensive weapon for Jimmy Garoppolo and padding a strength for this team,” McShay wrote, adding that the 49ers could also trade down in an effort to acquire more draft picks. The team has six picks in the 2020 NFL draft.
Dobbins set several school rushing records and finished the regular season with 1,829 yards and 20 rushing TDs. He’s generally considered one of the top-5 running backs in the 2020 draft, and it’s fairly deep at that position.
With the pending free agency of Matt Breida coupled with the lack of a long-term commitment to Tevin Coleman, the pick makes sense for the 49ers. Furthermore, Dobbins (5-10, 217) has decent size and is used to sharing the RB duties, so he should easily fit into the 49ers’ share-the-ball system (three San Francisco RBs have rushed for 500 yards or more this season).
However, unless the team views Dobbins as an elite, full-time starter at the position, it may be a tough sell for fans – especially after the 49ers signed leading-rusher Raheem Mostert to a three-year deal in March. Furthermore, San Francisco doesn’t have another pick until the fifth round, so ideally the team drafts a Day 1, every-down starter with their first-round pick.
So does that make the Dobbins pick unrealistic? No, as he would undoubtedly provide an immediate, dynamic upgrade to an already solid offense.
But the 49ers have other needs, too. The team needs an eventual replacement for aging OT Joe Staley as well as depth along the offensive line. San Francisco could also look for a starter at cornerback and wide receiver. Luckily for them, OT, WR and CB are projected to be deep positions in the 2020 NFL draft.
The question then becomes: Can you fill any of those positions of need in rounds 5 and later? If the answer is “no,” then San Francisco would be wise to draft whatever position it views is its biggest need in the first round.
Is Dobbins that player? McShay thinks so.
https://twitter.com/OhioStateFB/status/1202950822633467907