The 2020 NFL draft seems eons away for the 49ers. They’re in the thick of the playoff hunt and have established themselves as bona fide Super Bowl contenders. However, the franchise’s history has been defined by its dynasty that ran through the 80s and 90s. Part of sustaining championship contenders is drafting capable players, so it’s never too early to look at how the 49ers might continue competing for championships.
Luke Easterling of the Draft Wire authored a three-round mock draft where the 49ers made a curious pick with their first-round pick. That’s their only selection in the first three rounds after sending their second-round pick to Kansas City for Dee Ford, and including their third-round pick in the deal to acquire Emmanuel Sanders.
In the three-round mock, San Francisco takes Clemson running back Travis Etienne with the No. 30 overall pick. From Easterling:
This just seems unfair. Matt Breida and Tevin Coleman are a fantastic 1-2 punch in this backfield, but their contracts are expiring soon. Etienne’s explosiveness and three-down skill set would be the perfect match with a creative offensive coach like Kyle Shanahan.
This would certainly be a head-scratching decision for the 49ers considering the production Shanahan has gotten out of undrafted running backs. Breida, Raheem Mostert and Jeff Wilson Jr. were undrafted. Coleman was a third-round pick.
San Francisco will have some decisions to make at running back. Jerick McKinnon tore his ACL prior to his first season with the club in 2018, then re-aggravated that injury in camp this year and lost his season by going on injured reserve before final cuts. He can be released for a relatively small sum if the team is uncertain about his knee coming off an injury.
Breida is set to be a free agent in the offseason. Wilson and Coleman will be the year of their deals in 2020. Mostert is signed through 2021 after inking a three-year deal this offseason.
The 49ers adding a running back in next year’s draft certainly isn’t out of the question. However, with needs in the secondary, the interior of the offensive line, and potentially on the defensive line depending on how free agency goes, it’s hard to fathom they go with a running back in the first round.
In the world where they do spend that precious draft capital on a running back though, Etienne would make a lot of sense. He’s amassed 3,810 rushing yards and 53 touchdowns on 479 carries across 40 games for the Tigers. That’s good for 8.0 yards per carry. He’s also caught 45 balls for 424 yards and four touchdowns. Most of his receiving production has come in his final season. Etienne in 2019 has 28 catches for 289 yards and two touchdowns in 12 games.
While Etienne is the type of player who could thrive under Shanahan, a running back in the first round would be an extreme luxury pick for a 49ers club that may need tweaks to other areas of the roster. It stands to reason they’d go elsewhere in the first round, then snag a running back later in the draft and pluck another one or two out of the undrafted free agent pool.