San Francisco 49ers beef up for another playoff run in 7-round 2020 mock draft
By Lucas Schuh
The San Francisco 49ers made it to Super Bowl LIV and, despite limited picks, they use the 2020 NFL Draft to build the roster for another run in this 7-round mock draft
For what seemed like most of the 2019 NFL season, head coach Kyle Shanahan and the San Francisco 49ers were seemingly unstoppable. As the passing boom continues, the 49ers became a dominant running team. Shanahan had a myriad of different running backs at his disposal who all were seemingly consistent threats with the zone-blocking scheme and play design of the head coach.
But after losing to the Chiefs in Super Bowl LIV, it’s all about maintaining success in San Francisco. The 49ers roster doesn’t have a ton of weaknesses but there are certain position groups where they must improve. And with limited cap space, that makes the 2020 NFL Draft crucial for the Niners, even if they don’t have a second-, third- or fourth-round pick.
Defensive back is one area where the 49ers should look to concentrate in the 2020 draft. Richard Sherman was one of the best cornerbacks in the NFL this past season. However, he’s 32 years old and has a torn Achilles on his ledger. Furthermore, Jimmie Ward was terrific as a full-time safety this past season but he’s now set to become an unrestricted free agent. With questionable depth in both areas, they should both be in focus for the draft.
With Emmanuel Sanders, who the Niners landed via a midseason trade with Denver in 2019, also set to hit free agency, San Francisco could also use more depth at wide receiver to pair with Jimmy Garoppolo in the passing attack. While Deebo Samuel broke out in 2019, there is no one proven behind him on the roster right now.
Even if a team makes the Super Bowl, they must improve in the offseason to stay in the playoff hunt and on track to possibly capture the Lombardi Trophy. The 49ers, again, don’t have a ton of draft capital, so the picks they do have must be made wisely, which is the goal in this 7-round 2020 mock draft. This mock draft was simulated using The Draft Network’s mock draft machine.