San Francisco 49ers: 2018 NFL Draft grades for Day 2 picks

The San Francisco 49ers made three picks on the second day of the NFL Draft, bolstering both offense and defense. Here we grade the selections.

The San Francisco 49ers went in a somewhat surprising direction with their picks on day two of the 2018 NFL Draft, leaving it until round three to address defense after adding a significant weapon to the offense.

San Francisco traded up to pick number 44 to select wide receiver Dante Pettis, sending a second and a third-round pick to the Washington Redskins in the move, before finally going defense by using third-round picks on linebacker Fred Warner and safety Tarvarius Moore.

Here we evaluate and grade each of the 49ers’ day-two picks.

Dante Pettis, WR, Washington (Pick No. 44)

You could have made the argument that the Niners did not need to add at receiver, with only injury robbing Marquise Goodwin of a 1,000-yard season in 2017, Pierre Garcon set to return from injury in 2018 and Trent Taylor and Kendrick Bourne catching the eye as rookies. But Kyle Shanahan is an offensive coach who frankly adores receivers who can separate, and that is Pettis’ best trait.

He has the speed to get over the top and can create separation with his route-running as well as his speed and is more than willing to use his hands at the top of his routes to free himself from defenders.

Pettis tracks the ball very well and, because of speed that that helped to take nine punt returns the distance, is excellent with the ball in his hands after the catch.

Though he has a somewhat slight frame and could serve to improve his hands, Pettis is a perfect fit for the Shanahan offense and offers the 49ers upside in a return game where they have long since struggled.

The combination of his 6’1″ size and speed puts Pettis in a position to develop into a future No. 1 receiver for the 49ers and only having to give up a late second and third to get him makes this move a home run.

Grade: A

Fred Warner, LB, BYU (Pick No. 70)

Unquestionably the best value pick of the 49ers’ draft so far, Warner can be a day-one starter at the linebacker position and 49ers were able to snag him at pick No. 70. Warner is blessed with the athleticism defensive coordinator Robert Saleh looks for at the position, earning the 10th-best SPARQ score among all off-ball linebackers in the draft, testing in the 80th percentile among NFL athletes.

He can disrupt the game in the backfield and also excels in pursuit as a run defender, but where Warner stands out most is in coverage. His drop and backpedal into zone coverage looks smooth and easy and Warner has the awarness to be able read the quarterback and the receiver at the same time, as he did on the play below, getting an outstanding break on the ball to make the interception.

Warner’s lack of arm length limits his range as a tackler and he has had difficulties when fronting up blockers as an undersized linebacker at 6’3″ and 236 pounds, but that should not stop him from becoming an immediate impact player either in the 49ers’ base defense or in subpackages.

Grade: A

Tarvarius Moore, S, Southern Miss (Pick No. 95)

Described as a late-riser in the process, the 49ers looked to Moore to build on a strength at the safety position. With Adrian Colbert, the newly extended Jaquiski Tartt and Jimmie Ward all on the roster, Moore is very unlikely to start straight away but is an excellent fit for a defensive scheme that demands team speed.

Moore ran a 4.32-secon 40-yard dash at his Pro Day, a performance that ended the 49ers’ hopes of being able to wait too long to get him, and San Francisco — as GM John Lynch, per The San Jose Mercury News, said in the Niners’ post day-two press conference — will try him at corner because of that speed.

Showing encouraging ball skills, Moore had three interceptions and 10 pass deflections in 2017. The 49ers have had success with two players who can operate at corner and safety in Colbert and Ward and if Moore can successfully transition to corner, he will provide a young but improving secondary with yet more valuable versatility.

Grade: B

Next: NFL Draft 2018: 10 Players that could be Day 3 steals

If they can nail day three to the extent that they did day two, the 49ers will be an in even better position to contend in 2018.