A report from Ian Rapoport on NFL Network Wednesday morning indicated the Atlanta Falcons are aiming to trade up from the No. 16 pick to acquire Florida cornerback CJ Henderson.
Assuming that leaked info isn’t a smokescreen by the Falcons, if Henderson makes it to No. 13, the 49ers could become a trade partner for Atlanta. Perhaps San Francisco also covets Henderson, in which case a trade is out of the question. However, if the 49ers are unhappy with the available players at 13, they’d be glad to field a call from the Falcons about a move back.
The Buccaneers and Broncos both pick between the Falcons and 49ers, and the Broncos could easily scoop up a cornerback after losing Chris Harris Jr. in free agency. Getting ahead of them will be a priority for Atlanta, and if the Jets and Raiders both take receivers at Nos. 11 and 12, the 49ers suddenly become a prime trade candidate.
Should all that play out, here are a few guesses at what a trade might look like using the DraftTek trade value chart:
Trade No. 1
49ers receive pick Nos. 16, 78 and 119
Falcons receive pick Nos. 13 and 156
This is a small overpay for the Falcons from a pick value standpoint, but it’s worth it if they believe Henderson is a shutdown corner. San Francisco only moves back three spots while scooping up picks in the third and fourth round.
To move back three spots, the 49ers only give up their first of two fifth-round selections. At No. 16, they’re still in a position to come away with a quality player that fits a need. By adding third and fourth-round picks with this move, they’d also give themselves added flexibility with the No. 31 pick where they can afford to use it if they love a prospect, but they can also move back to give themselves more mid-round ammo.