ESPN's NFL Nation reporters decided to go back and have a 2017 NFL Draft do-over. Nick Wagoner represented the San Francisco 49ers in the re-draft, which looks at what NFL teams would do in Round 1 if they knew then what they know now.
Defensive end Myles Garrett remains the top-overall selection by the Cleveland Browns. After that, things change. Quarterback Mitchell Trubisky was the second-overall selection by the Chicago Bears, who traded with the 49ers to move up one spot. This time around, ESPN reporter Jeff Dickerson has the team selecting a different quarterback -- Deshaun Watson, who was actually taken 10 picks later by the Houston Texans.
Next up was Wagoner and the 49ers. Rather than selecting defensive end Solomon Thomas, as the team did last year, Wagoner has San Francisco selecting cornerback Marshon Lattimore out of Ohio State. Lattimore was actually taken with the 11th-overall selection by the New Orleans Saints.
Wagoner, who was tempted to match running back Alvin Kamara with 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan in this re-draft, said the following about the Lattimore pick:
"Lattimore was under consideration when the Niners made this pick, and given what we now know about the 49ers' needs and Lattimore's performance, he'd be an ideal fit if the draft happened today."
Thomas, the 49ers' actual selection with the third-overall pick, this time lasts all the way until San Francisco's next selection at No. 31. Wagoner has the 49ers using that selection on Thomas, who he considers a bargain this late in Round 1.
"Thomas' numbers didn't jump off the page as a rookie, but he was strong against the run and showed some ability as an interior pass-rusher. He needs to improve that part of his game, but a high-motor, high-character player such as Thomas should continue to improve as he gets to go through a full offseason."
As for the 49ers' original selection at No. 31, Reuben Foster, he is not selected in Round 1 of this re-draft -- and it has nothing to do with his on-the-field production. His offseason trouble keeps the ESPN reporters from drafting him earlier in this do-over. Foster was arrested in January for second-degree possession of marijuana and then again a month later on suspicion of domestic violence, threats, and possession of an assault weapon.
Off-the-field concerns contributed to Foster's fall in last year's draft. Had he stayed out of trouble, there is no doubt that the young linebacker's 2017 play, despite missing games due to injuries, would have moved him up in ESPN's re-draft. Wagoner calls Foster "a very talented player on the field but a liability off it."
You can view the entire ESPN re-draft here.
(h/t to Kirk Larrabee of 247 Sports for the find)
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