Unlike last year when the team traded back into the end of the first round, the San Francisco 49ers made just one selection during Day 1 of the 2018 NFL Draft. They picked Notre Dame tackle Mike McGlinchey, who wasn't among the favorites within mock drafts to land with San Francisco.
Here is what we learned on Day 1 of the draft.
1) McGlinchey was shocked the 49ers selected him
McGlinchey met with the 49ers at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis. After that? Nothing. No private workout. No visits. No phone calls. Nothing.
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2) McGlinchey was the 49ers' target for some time
The 49ers scouted McGlinchey for some time.
"The more we watched him, the more we liked him," general manager John Lynch said.
McGlinchey didn't hear from the 49ers after the combine because there were no more questions about him in the minds of Lynch, head coach Kyle Shanahan, or the rest of the team.
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"So we decided, 'Hey, let's lay under the radar,'" Lynch said. "We did that for good reason. And then I would tell you, from the combine, closer to the draft, our feelings for him only got stronger, so we're glad that we chose not to bring him in ... We just didn't want anything out there that we were interested in him."
3) The Raiders may have been interested in McGlinchey
There was a report that the Oakland Raiders were targeting McGlinchey with the 10th-overall pick. The 49ers fielded "a bunch of calls" on potential trades for the ninth-overall pick, but Lynch said the team was set on drafting McGlinchey.
"Last week, we decided if he's there at nine, he's the guy we're taking," Lynch said.
With McGlinchey gone, Oakland ended up trading out of the No. 10 spot and eventually selected a tackle of their own – Kolton Miller out of UCLA – with the 15th-overall pick.
4) The 49ers think McGlinchey is 'badass'
A reporter asked Lynch what it was about McGlinchey that impressed the team during the combine.
"There's some people who command a room, who own a room," he responded. "Like I said, there were probably two guys that stood out from the pack. We have 60 interviews at the combine. He was a guy who came in and just kind of owned the room, and everyone felt -- it wasn't just me -- Kyle felt that way, our coaches that were in the room felt that way, our scouts in the room.
"He's got a special presence to him. He's real, he's authentic, and he's a badass."
5) McGlinchey will play right tackle
"We'll start him out at right tackle here," Shanahan said. "He'll be competing, especially with Trent (Brown) out until training camp. But, he can play either tackle. He can start in this league as a right tackle, left tackle, swing tackle. I'm sure he can help us at guard, too, if need be."
Which brings us to the next two items...
6) Trent Brown should be fully recovered by training camp
Shanahan and Lynch expect tackle Trent Brown to be fully recovered by training camp in late-July from the shoulder injury that ended his 2017 season.
That's good news for the competition at right tackle. Unless...
7) The 49ers may be trying to trade Trent Brown
Pro Football Talk reports that the 49ers and Patriots are engaged in trade talks that would potentially send Brown to New England.
RELATED 49ers and Patriots discussing possible trade for Trent Brown, per report
Tony Pauline of Draft Analyst stated that Brown reported to the 49ers' offseason program out of shape and that may have contributed to decision to select McGlinchey. He also says the 49ers have concerns about Brown's recovery. With McGlinchey now on the roster and slated to play right tackle, the writing was on the wall for Brown's departure.
If Brown did report to the team overweight, it would coincide with when Lynch said the 49ers finalized the decision to select the Notre Dame tackle with the ninth-overall pick.
Earlier on Thursday, there was a rumor thrown out by Chance Dickman of KSBY-TV that the 49ers were working on a deal to send Brown to the Denver Broncos in exchange for a second-round pick.
By itself, the rumor sounds far-fetched because it is doubtful Broncos general manager John Elway would part with a high second-round pick in exchange for Brown. However, it might make more sense if the two teams simply swapped second-round picks in the process, should there be a player the 49ers covet at the spot.
Denver holds the eight pick in the second round. With New England entering the picture, it is seeming more and more likely that Brown's future with the 49ers is nearing an end.
8) Lynch is tired of being asked about Reuben Foster
"You know, I answered a bunch of questions the other day on Reuben, and we're just going to leave it at that," Lynch told reporters when asked about the new development that the alleged victim now claims she lied about the incident between her and linebacker Reuben Foster.
Foster is currently facing multiple felony charges.
When Shanahan was asked about the situation, his answer simply mirrored the one Lynch gave reporters on Monday.
"We can promise you guys, if there's someone who ever hits their significant other, girlfriends, some person like that, that person is not going to be on our team," Shanahan said.
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