Daniel Jeremiah and Charles Davis discussed the draft possibilities for the San Francisco 49ers yesterday on NFL Network. With so many needs on the team, the 49ers can go in nearly any direction in the upcoming draft. However, one direction that may not make sense anymore is quarterback thanks to a trade between the Los Angeles Rams and Tennessee Titans that saw the first overall selection go to the former.
Jeremiah and Davis went through two scenarios. One with the team going offense first and the other with the team going defense first.
Scenario 1 - Offense First
The duo has the 49ers addressing the offensive line with their first selection, the seventh overall. They have the team selecting Notre Dame OT Ronnie Stanley. That would be a solid pick for the 49ers, especially if top defensive prospects like UCLA LB Myles Jack or Oregon DE DeForest Buckner are off the board.
"I think Ronnie Stanley steps in day one as your starting right tackle for the 49ers and they rock and roll up front," said Jeremiah.
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Jeremiah and Davis had the 49ers going defense with their second-round selection – the 37th overall pick. They have the team selecting Baylor CB Xavien Howard. The 49ers have a lot of youth behind CB Tramaine Brock. As a unit, the defense finished the 2015 season 27th against the pass, allowing 261.2 passing yards per game.
"You know I liked this kid out of Baylor, Xavien Howard, who can run. Didn't test so well at the combine, but went to his pro day – cleaned that right up," said Davis.
The two went back to offense in the third round with the 68th overall selection. They have the team selecting Oklahoma WR Sterling Shepard. Jeremiah referenced a matchup between Oklahoma and Tennessee while discussing Shepard. "Sterling Shepard just took the entire game over. I'm not certain he gets to [pick number] 68, but if he does, just run that card up. You got yourself a playmaker," said Jeremiah.
Scenario 2 - Defense First
With the team's first selection, they have them going with Oregon DE DeForest Buckner. A fantastic selection if he is still on the board and a bookend to last year's top selection, Oregon DE Arik Armstead. "You talk about a rare physical specimen here in DeForest Buckner. Those 11-inch hands? Haven't seen that before since I have been scouting," said Jeremiah.
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With their second-round selection, the duo have the 49ers going with Kansas State OG Cody Whitehair. "They have to get better up front. We have them going tackle in the first scenario. In this scenario, you get a guy that played tackle, that's going to kick inside and be an outstanding guard at the next level," said Jeremiah.
Finally, they have the 49ers going with Utah State ILB Nick Vigil with their third-round selection. "This guy can move now. I've watched him on tape just a couple of days ago, again. He moves around really well. I think he'll be an asset in the passing game," said Davis.
| Round | Scenario 1 | Scenario 2 |
| 1 | OT Ronnie Stanley, Notre Dame | DE DeForest Buckner, Oregon |
| 2 | CB Xavien Howard, Baylor | OG Cody Whitehair, Kansas State |
| 3 | WR Sterling Shepard, Oklahoma | ILB Nick Vigil, Utah State |
You can watch the whole segment below.
OT Ronnie Stanley, Notre Dame
At the NFL Scouting Combine in February, the 6-foot-6 and 312-pound Stanley had a 40-time of 5.20 seconds and completed the three cone drill in 8.03 seconds. Other measurables for Stanley include an arm length of 35 5/8 inches and hands that measure 10 5/8 inches.
DE DeForest Buckner, Oregon
The 6-foot-7 and 291-pound Buckner had a 40-time of 5.05 seconds, a vertical jump of 32 inches, a broad jump of 116 inches, and completed the three cone drill in 7.51 seconds. Other measurables for Buckner include an arm length of 34 3/8 inches and hands that measure 11 3/4 inches.
CB Xavien Howard, Baylor
The 6-foot and 201-pound Howard had a 40-time of 4.58 seconds, a vertical jump of 33 inches, a broad jump of 122 inches, and completed the three cone drill in 7.18 seconds. Other measurables for Howard include an arm length of 31 1/4 inches and hands that measure 9 1/8 inches.
OG Cody Whitehair, Kansas State
The 6-foot-4 and 301-pound Whitehair had a 40-time of 5.08 seconds, a broad jump of 110 inches, and completed the three cone drill in 7.32 seconds. Other measurables for Whitehair include an arm length of 32 3/8 inches and hands that measure 10 1/8 inches.
WR Sterling Shepard, Oklahoma
The 5-foot-10 and 194-pound Shepard had a 40-time of 4.48 seconds, a vertical jump of 41 inches, a broad jump of 123 inches, and completed the three cone drill in 7 seconds flat. Other measurables for Shepard include an arm length of 30 3/8 inches and hands that measure 9 3/4 inches.
ILB Nick Vigil, Utah State
The 6-foot-2 and 239-pound had a 40-time of 4.72 seconds, a vertical jump of 31.5 inches, a broad jump of 115 inches, and completed the three cone drill in 6.73 seconds. Other measurables for include an arm length of 32 3/8 inches and hands that measure 10 1/4 inches.