The 49ers NFL draft got good early reviews in the Draft Wire grades.
The 49ers made a pair of selections on Day 1 of the NFL draft. They traded down from the No. 13 pick to No. 14 where they took South Carolina defensive lineman Javon Kinlaw. That wasn’t a huge surprise. The curveball came when San Francisco traded three picks, including the No. 31 choice, to move up six spots to No. 25 and draft Arizona State wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk.
All the maneuvering and unloading three of their limited number of picks was worth it according to Draft Wire. They gave the 49ers a pair of good grades for their efforts.
The Kinlaw selection got an ‘A’ from Draft Wire:
In return for a fourth-round pick, the 49ers landed the player they likely would have taken at their original spot. That’s a huge win for a team that has a pair of first-round picks, but no other selections until the fifth round prior to this move.
Kinlaw’s combination of size and versatility make him a dangerous addition to what was already one of the NFL’s most dominant defensive fronts.
General manager John Lynch in his post-draft video conference said Kinlaw was one of the six players San Francisco identified as ‘foundational.’ Given their need at defensive tackle, if Kinlaw turns into a player the 49ers can rely on to wreak havoc in the middle, this could end up being the steal of the draft.
The Aiyuk pick wasn’t as highly praised, but it still got good marks with a ‘B’ grade. The 49ers unloaded three picks, including Nos. 31 and 117, which they acquired in their earlier trade back, to scoop up the ASU product.
Aiyuk is a well-rounded pass-catcher who is a perfect fit for Kyle Shanahan, and will pair well with the versatility of Deebo Samuel. Jimmy Garoppolo needed someone who can quickly develop into a true No. 1 target, and Aiyuk absolutely has the skill set to do it.
The 49ers still don’t have any Day 2 picks, but they’re leaving the first round with impact players on both sides of the ball. Oh, and they already won the NFC last year.
There was some thought the 49ers would prioritize receiver earlier in the draft, but they were able to wait for what Kyle Shanahan called his favorite receiver in this year’s class.
Pairing Aiyuk with Deebo Samuel is going to be a headache for defenses, and if he plays as well as Samuel as a rookie, this grade should get a bump in hindsight.
San Francisco doesn’t have another pick until early in the fifth round so their draft class may be light. If their first two picks wind up working out though, the quantity of the picks won’t matter.
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