The 49ers traded back from the No. 13 overall pick to the No. 14 overall pick in the 2020 NFL draft. They used their first of two first-round selections to take South Carolina defensive lineman Javon Kinlaw.
On the surface the move is head-scratching considering the move lines up as a swap of Kinlaw for DeForest Buckner. The 49ers acquired the 13th pick from the Colts when the dealt Buckner to Indianapolis at the start of the 2020 league year.
However, this is a move that gives the 49ers an opportunity to recreate the formula that took them to the Super Bowl last season.
Kinlaw is 6-5, 324 pounds with long arms and a ton of athleticism that he uses to wreak havoc from the inside. He has every physical tool to replace Buckner on a snap-for-snap basis. Even if he’s not on Buckner’s level right away, he should give the team productive snaps early in his career as a rotational defensive tackle.
He’s on a much cheaper deal than the one Buckner got, and trading Buckner opened a lot of salary cap space for the 49ers to re-sign free safety Jimmie Ward and defensive lineman Arik Armstead among other things. The 13th pick also turned into pick Nos. 14 and 117.
There shouldn’t be an expectation that Kinlaw is a Pro Bowler in Year 1. He should be productive though, and it’s a selection with the future in mind. Kinlaw can help right away, but his development alongside Nick Bosa helps increase the 49ers’ chances of extending their championship window behind a dominant defensive line.
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