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Adam Schefter joined ESPN radio on Tuesday morning and voiced his opinion on who the San Francisco 49ers will select with the No. 3 overall pick on April 29. Much of the media predicts that player to be former Alabama quarterback Mac Jones, and Schefter sees that as the most likely outcome, too.
"Oh, it'll be Mac Jones," Schefter responded when asked for his prediction.
What does that mean for quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo, who general manager John Lynch and head coach Kyle Shanahan have stated remains in the team's plans for 2021? The 49ers view themselves as contenders and don't want to throw in a rookie to lead the offense. Garoppolo is familiar with the playbook, and his teammates trust him.
With next year's rookie quarterback class not expected to be as talented as this year's, San Francisco traded up to acquire its quarterback of the future.
"Again, if the draft were held today, they've got to go through the process, and they've got to assess all the quarterbacks," Schefter continued. "I believe that in the end, they will pick Mac Jones at three. That will be the pick, and they will keep Jimmy Garoppolo this year."
Things could change if an offer wowed the 49ers. There have been
multiple reports that it would take a first-round pick for Lynch and Shanahan to deviate from their current plan and part with Garoppolo. While that may seem like an overvaluation to many, it is more an indication that they intend to keep Garoppolo, allowing the rookie a season to sit and learn.
"Now, look, could New England decide we're going to give you this and this on draft day or draft weekend, and the Niners make a decision to trade him? Yeah," Schefter added. "That could be. But I can just tell you that their plan was, they believe they've got a Super Bowl-caliber roster, a playoff-caliber roster, and that they want to draft a quarterback and have that guy sit on the bench, learn, get acclimated, even though some people say Mac Jones is ready to play right away.
"And then, after the season, you move on from Jimmy. But a couple of things. Number one, the roster is ready to win now, and they think a veteran is more capable of taking the team further right now. And number two, Jimmy Garoppolo has missed most of two of the past three seasons with injuries. ... There are no assurances that he's even going to remain healthy. And so, if he's not healthy, then you have the quarterback you drafted at No. 3, who I believe, ultimately, will be Mac Jones."
After failing to acquire Detroit Lions tight end Brock Wright, the San Francisco 49ers signed former Houston Texans tight end Eric Saubert to a one-year deal. However, the team will likely still look to the draft to bolster the depth behind All-Pro George Kittle.
According to Aaron Wilson of KPRC2, the 49ers held a virtual meeting with Louisiana tight end Neal Johnson.
Louisiana Lafayette tight end Neal Johnson has had dinner meetings with #Commanders and
The San Francisco 49ers announced the signing of wide receiver Trent Taylor to a one-year deal, reuniting with the team's former fifth-round draft pick out of Louisiana Tech.
Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area was the first to report that the 49ers were discussing a potential reunion with Taylor. The receiver was part of head coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch's first draft class in 2017 and spent his first four NFL seasons with the team.
The #49ers are talking with free-agent slot receiver/return man
The San Francisco 49ers are hosting several draft prospects this week as the deadline for pre-draft visits draws near. According to Aaron Wilson of KPRC2, the team will host former Western Kentucky wide receiver Malachi Corley on Wednesday.
Corley is expected to be a Day 2 pick. San Francisco owns two selections on Day 2—the No. 63 overall pick in the second round and the No. 94 overall pick in the third round. Currently, the receiver is visiting with the Seattle Seahawks.
Western Kentucky @WKUFootball receiver Malachi Worley
Analyst Dane Brugler recently revealed his seven-round mock draft for The Athletic, forecasting all 257 selections in the upcoming 2024 NFL Draft, set to kick off next week.
"Piecing together a mock like this is time consuming, but I enjoy the exercise, because it allows me to focus on each team's needs, organizational trends and prospect-team pairings that make sense based on '30' visits, league buzz and overall interest," Brugler wrote.
Most expect the 49ers to address the trenches early in the draft, and Brugler has the team doing that. It's just not on the offensive side of the football. In fact, Brugler doesn't have San Francisco
