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The 49ers made a statement with their 2021 NFL draft class. They selected a pair of offensive linemen and two running backs after taking QB Trey Lance third overall. It appears, at least for now, bolstering the rushing attack was a top priority for the club with this year’s rookie class.
It’s not a huge surprise they invested so heavily in that aspect of their offense with the promotion of run game coordinator Mike McDaniel to offensive coordinator. They used their first two picks on Lance and a big guard from Notre Dame named Aaron Banks. He’s a mauling downhill run blocker who figures to slot in as the starting right guard.
Their third pick came via trade up. They used two fourth-round choices to trade up to the Rams’ No. 88 selection. That’s where they took Ohio State RB Trey Sermon. He runs a lot like 49ers wide receiver Deebo Samuel in an identical frame. Sermon’s style should fit nicely in San Francisco’s outside zone run game, and he might wind up being the team’s top RB by the time the season starts.
They finished up the third round with a cornerback, and went into Day 2 with wide receiver and a pass-catching tight end on their list of needs. They overlooked those two spots entirely, opting instead to pick Western Michigan LT Jaylon Moore, who thrived as a blocker on outside zone runs. There’s a chance he moves to the interior, but he also offers depth at tackle.
Defensive backs filled their next two picks. Oregon CB Deommodore Lenoir and USC S Talanoa Hufanga joined the club and helped their depth problem in the secondary.
Their final pick, No. 193 in the sixth round, could’ve easily gone to one of the slew of available WRs. San Francisco instead grabbed another running back. Louisiana-Lafayette’s Eli Mitchell fits perfectly as a change-of-pace back for the 49ers. He ran a blazing 40-yard dash at his Pro Day and averaged 6.2 yards per carry in four college seasons. Getting him on the edge in the 49ers’ run game could make him a home run hitter in the vein of Raheem Mostert.
What we could see in 2021 is a version of the offense we saw from the 49ers last year while Jimmy Garoppolo was hobbled by an ankle injury. It looks like we’ll see plenty of the run game, coupled with short throws that act as extensions of that. Until Lance is ready to take the reins full-time, this is probably the 49ers’ best bet to move the ball efficiently given some of Garoppolo’s limitations.
The 49ers in 2019 rode one of the NFL’s best rushing attacks to a Super Bowl, and this year’s draft put them in a spot to do the same once again despite all the noise over their quarterback who went third overall.
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