ESPN analyst Mel Kiper released his latest mock draft on Tuesday morning. It has the San Francisco 49ers addressing needs on both sides of the football in the first round of next week's draft.
With the No. 13 overall pick, Kiper has San Francisco selecting former Oklahoma wide receiver CeeDee Lamb.
"I love this pick for the 49ers, who lost Emmanuel Sanders in free agency," explains Kiper. "Lamb is a big-play threat and a technician as a route runner, and he'd be a great complement to the versatility of Deebo Samuel. San Francisco has two first-round picks -- it got this one after trading DeForest Buckner to the Colts -- but doesn't have picks in the second, third or fourth rounds, so watch out for a potential trade down to accumulate more assets."
That second first-round pick that Kiper mentions is the team's initial selection at No. 31 overall. There, Kiper has the 49ers upgrading their cornerback group with the addition of Noah Igbinoghene of Auburn.
"Since I gave the 49ers a wide receiver with their first pick, consider this two needs filled," writes Kiper. "The defense had issues on the other side of Richard Sherman all last season, and Sherman is 32 and only signed through 2020. San Francisco has to get younger here. Igbinoghene is raw, but he has tremendous upside. He's also a dynamite kick returner -- check out this 96-yard TD return. As I mentioned earlier, the 49ers could trade down from this pick with teams wanting to get back into the first round to draft someone and attain his fifth-year option."
Kiper's previous mock draft, version 3.0, also had San Francisco addressing the receiver position with the No. 13 overall pick. That projection, however, had the 49ers landing Jerry Jeudy of Alabama. Kiper's latest mock has Jeudy going No. 9 overall to the Jacksonville Jaguars.
The 2020 NFL Draft is just over a week away. It takes place from April 23-25.
