Hindsight is 20/20. Looking back, the San Francisco 49ers had several intriguing options instead of selecting defensive lineman Solomon Thomas with the third overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft—the first selection of the Kyle Shanahan and John Lynch era. Thomas spent just four seasons in Santa Clara and has since played for the Las Vegas Raiders, New York Jets, and Dallas Cowboys.
One obvious alternative that stands out in retrospect is quarterback Patrick Mahomes, who would have become a franchise cornerstone. The Kansas City Chiefs ultimately selected Mahomes at No. 10, even trading up to secure him. The star quarterback went on to beat Shanahan's 49ers in the Super Bowl—twice.
Another missed opportunity was running back Christian McCaffrey, chosen by the Carolina Panthers at No. 8. McCaffrey would eventually join the 49ers five years later via a mid-season trade in 2022. Still, at the time, his potential was undeniable.
Shanahan admitted that adding McCaffrey to his offense was a compelling idea.
"There was discussion, just because he was one of the better offensive players in the draft," Shanahan recently told Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area. "But it was just so much when John and I came here, that we knew where we were at as a team. We knew we really had to build this, and we just so badly wanted to build it through a defensive line and to build it defensively.
"It was just so hard at the time to imagine taking a running back with the second overall pick (during the draft, the 49ers traded down to No. 3) when you had a team that you felt wasn't ready and you needed to add people."
Since entering the NFL, McCaffrey has proven his elite talent. He amassed 7,272 scrimmage yards and 50 touchdowns in five-and-a-half seasons with the Panthers. Since joining the 49ers, he has added another 5,020 scrimmage yards and 42 touchdowns, confirming that he would have been a dynamic offensive weapon from day one under Shanahan.
McCaffrey has recorded two seasons with over 2,000 scrimmage yards and is on pace to achieve it again this season at age 29.
Reflecting on the 2017 decision, Shanahan acknowledged the missed opportunity.
"Now, when I look back at it, that definitely would have been the right pick," Shanahan said. "Him or probably Mahomes. In hindsight, obviously. When we were there, our intentions were to build this through the D-line. Build it that way, and we could get some running backs later and stuff, but Christian would have been a hell of a pick at No. 2."
McCaffrey and the 49ers face the Panthers on Monday night, with both teams fighting to stay in playoff contention, making this primetime clash crucial.
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