placeholder image

Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports


2019 NFL Draft: 5 remaining options for the 49ers in Round 4

Apr 26, 2019 at 9:49 PM--


Videos are auto-populated by an affiliate. This site has no control over the videos that appear above.

The San Francisco 49ers stocked up on wide receivers in Rounds 2 and 3 of the 2019 NFL Draft, leaving a number of positional needs to be addressed as soon as Round 4, which kicks off day three of the draft on Saturday.


There probably aren't too many analysts and pundits who would have predicted the San Francisco 49ers would take wide receivers in back-to-back rounds of the 2019 NFL Draft. Maybe one as early in Round 2 and another in Round 6, perhaps. But not in the second and third rounds, consecutively.

Yet that's exactly what general manager John Lynch and Co. did, grabbing South Carolina's Deebo Samuel at No. 36 overall and then doubling up with the Round 3 selection of Baylor's Jalen Hurd at No. 67.

It's pretty safe to assume the Niners aren't going to use one of their remaining three picks, currently, on a wide receiver. Hurd's size, 6-foot-5 and 226 pounds, likely crosses off a tight end from San Francisco's wish list, too, although Hurd will have to learn how to block before he assumes a significant role on the depth chart there.

San Francisco's picks have yet to address the secondary, however, and the offensive line and linebacker spots could be considered needs as well.

Assuming the 49ers stay put with the 104th overall pick, here are five players they should consider and why.

Safety Deionte Thompson, Alabama


Deionte Thompson is arguably the best player left in the NFL Draft, and it wouldn't have been a complete reach if he ended up going in Round 1 somewhere.

Now available in Round 4, the Alabama product could be a perfect fit in the Niners' Cover 3 defense, which needs sideline-to-sideline skill and natural instincts. Thompson has those, for sure, and he's more than adequate in coverage. Perhaps some concerns about his durability caused Thompson to drop this far in the draft. Consider this, though: San Francisco generated just two interceptions all of last season.

Thompson had two by himself, along with six pass breakups in 2018. The 49ers need ballhawks, and Thompson looks the part.

Cornerback Isaiah Johnson, Houston


Pro Football Focus ranked San Francisco's secondary dead last in 2018, so more than one defensive back could be a smart move on the part of Lynch and Co.

If the prototypical boundary cornerback for the 49ers is a long, lanky prospect with good instincts and reaction skills, Houston's Isaiah Johnson might be worth looking at in Round 4. Interestingly enough, NFL.com's Lance Zierlein compared Johnson to one of the Niners' younger corners, Ahkello Witherspoon, which helps reinforce the comparison. Should San Francisco go with Johnson, it would add to the youth looking to take over for veteran corners Richard Sherman and Jason Verrett at some point down the road.

Selecting Johnson might also push second-year pro Tarvarius Moore back to safety, which was his natural position coming out of college.

Linebacker Tre Lamar, Clemson


Clemson's linebacker, Tre Lamar, is something of a love-or-hate prospect. It isn't hard to find rankings of him on day two, while some big boards put him as a late day-three pick.

The latter looks to be the case for the 6-foot-3 Tiger, who could help fill a void in the 49ers' linebacking corps, particularly on the strong side (SAM) where the team doesn't have a clear-cut option heading towards training camp. Lamar has some good speed, even though there are liabilities in coverage and matching up against elusive ball carriers. Still, the instincts are there, and he'd help reinforce another area of question.

Offensive Lineman David Edwards, Wisconsin


The 49ers don't necessarily need to put top priority on their offensive line right now, but they should strongly think about it. Left tackle Joe Staley will turn 35 years old before the regular season begins, while interior linemen Weston Richburg and Laken Tomlinson are both coming off 2018 knee injuries.

Wisconsin has produced more than a number of top-quality offensive linemen in recent years. And while right tackle David Edwards isn't as high profile, he does possess a lot of the traits one would like to see in run scheme employed by head coach Kyle Shanahan. Edwards, a former collegiate tight end, is a great mover and handles run blocking exceptionally well. Aside from that, though, Edwards is pretty raw. But that's what you tend to get with Round 4 prospects, and it wouldn't be a shock to see San Francisco make such a move at No. 104.

Safety Chauncey Gardner-Johnson, Florida


If safety is the 49ers' top priority in Round 4, and Thompson winds up going off the boards at No. 103, slating in Florida's Chauncey Gardner-Johnson wouldn't be a bad idea, either.

Gardner-Johnson, 5-foot-11, has the skill set to be that rangy center-field free safety. And while his coverage abilities don't appear to be quite on the same level as those of Thompson, he's arguably a much better ballhawk, posting a whopping nine interceptions over his collegiate career, including four back in 2018.

Remember, San Francisco's interception problems? They haven't gone anywhere.

Day three of the 2019 NFL Draft kicks off on Saturday, April 27 at 12 p.m. ET.
  • Written by:
    Peter Panacy has been writing about the 49ers since 2011 for outlets like Bleacher Report, Niner Noise, 49ers Webzone, and is occasionally heard as a guest on San Francisco's 95.7 FM The Game and the Niners' flagship station, KNBR 680. Feel free to follow him, or direct any inquiries to his Twitter account.



Facebook Comments



More San Francisco 49ers News


placeholder image

49ers forfeit 2025 5th-round draft pick and have 2024 4th-round pick moved

By David Bonilla
Mar 18

The NFL has reportedly penalized the San Francisco 49ers for payroll accounting errors. The team is losing a fifth-round draft pick in 2025 and having its fourth-round pick in 2024 moved to the end of the round as punishment. Just in: The #49ers are losing a 2025 5th-round pick and will have their 2024 4th-round pick (#131) move to the end of the fourth round because of payroll accounting errors. pic.twitter.com/X8D33mY94A— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate)


placeholder image

49ers Mock Draft 5.0: DB help added in first round

By Wayne P. Brown
Mar 23

The Pro Football Focus (PFF) Mock Draft Simulator was used to create this mock draft. In mock draft 5.0, I continued using the "best player available" model for the San Francisco 49ers. This week, the 49ers' position of need and value met in the first round. Round 1, Pick 31 CB, Kool-Aid McKinstry, Alabama The 49ers have three defensive backs in the last years of their contracts. Charvarius Ward is a veteran in the last year of his deal with the team, and Deommodore Lenoir and Ambry Thomas are playing in the last year of their rookie contracts. Kool-Aid McKinstry is one of the best outside corners in the 2024 NFL Draft. McKinstry has excellent lateral agility, is strong in press-man coverage, and tackles well


placeholder image

Latest PFF mock draft has 49ers making surprise pick in Round 1

By David Bonilla
Mar 25

The San Francisco 49ers focused on defense in free agency but still have several needs heading into the 2024 NFL Draft. The team did not address the offensive line, and it's a safe bet they will do so with some rookie selections next month. The Niners could also continue bolstering things on the defensive side of the football. Adding to the defensive back, defensive line, or linebacker groups remains possibilities. Pro Football Focus analyst Brad Spielberger released his latest mock draft and doesn't have the 49ers drafting at any of those positions. Instead, he has the team adding a bit of an insurance policy on offense, drafting former Georgia wide receiver


placeholder image

Who the 49ers selected in ESPN's 7-round mock draft

By David Bonilla
14 hrs

Kudos to anyone who compiles a seven-round mock draft for the entire league. It's an extensive endeavor, and draft analyst Matt Miller recently took on this challenge in a feature for ESPN. He projected 257 selections, with the San Francisco 49ers holding 10. Miller provided explanations for each pick in the first three rounds and shared his favorite selection for the remainder of the draft. So, who does Miller envision joining the 49ers' newest rookie class? Let's delve into his ideal scenario for the Bay Area team in the 2024 NFL Draft. Round 1, Pick 31 Overall Jordan Morgan,


Latest

Trending News

Share 49ersWebzone