The 2021 NFL draft is too far away to give serious thought too, but it’s never too soon to dive into mock drafts. Our friends at the Draft Wire put together a 2021 mock following the 2020 NFL draft. The 49ers use the No. 30 overall pick to select Alabama running back and Antioch, Calif. native Najee Harris.
It’s hard to imagine the 49ers using a first-round pick on a running back. They’ve used one pick (a 2017 fourth-rounder) on that position since John Lynch and Kyle Shanahan arrived. Harris certainly has traits that would fit in Shanahan’s offense though. He’s 6-2, 230 pounds and averaged 6.1 yards per carry on 387 attempts over his first three seasons with the Crimson Tide. He found the end zone 20 times on the ground.
Alabama expanded Harris’ role last season and used him more as a pass catcher. He caught 27 balls for 304 yards and seven touchdowns.
The 2021 NFL draft is going to be fascinating. San Francisco will likely have more roster openings where they’ll need to use the draft to fill them, unlike in 2020 when they had just five selections and none in the second, third or fourth rounds. Their 2020 strategy will likely result in the opposite strategy of pick acquisition next year. That may afford them the ability to reach for a running back at some point, but the first round seems unlikely since cornerback and safety appear to be two positions where the 49ers will need new starters. That’s likely where their premium draft capital will be allocated.
The other interesting aspect of the 2021 draft relates to what the college season looks like amid COVID-19 shutdowns. If there’s a truncated season or no season, the draft could get a pretty massive shakeup.
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