Surprise San Francisco 49ers Trade Targets in NFL Draft
By Erik Lambert
Dec 31, 2013; El Paso, TX, USA; UCLA Bruins linebacker Anthony Barr (11) during the game against the Virginia Tech Hokies in the 2013 Sun Bowl at Sun Bowl Stadium. UCLA defeated Virginia Tech 42-12. Mandatory Credit: Andrew Weber-USA TODAY Sports
Most of the top names have been scanned over as far as possible targets for the San Francisco 49ers in an NFL draft trade. So who are some names people might not be looking at but should?
Anthony Barr – OLB – UCLA
There is no denying the 49ers have committed themselves to Aldon Smith. Otherwise they never would’ve picked up his contract option for 2015. However, that doesn’t mean the team a fully guaranteed safety from another screw-up on his part. One red flag is an anamoly but two or more is a trend. San Francisco might do well to get some insurance in place and UCLA linebacker Anthony Barr would be perfect. He fits their system thanks to outstanding length and athleticism and he might be the second best pass rusher in the entire NFL draft.
C.J. Mosley – ILB – Alabama
Another thing the San Francisco 49ers can’t ignore is the health situation of star linebacker NaVarro Bowman. Everybody can probably still see that cringe-worthy knee injury he suffered in the NFC championship game that resulted in multiple torn ligaments. There is really no guarantee he will return to the same player he was once he actually gets back on the field. Since the team finds its success defensively through its linebackers, having insurance for him is very important. Alabama standout C.J. Mosley would be ideal in that scenario. He’s big, long, fast, agile and highly instinctive. Like Bowman, he always seem to be around the football.
Mike Evans – WR – Texas A&M
Trent Baalke is a GM that is not known for going for the home run trade very often. A perfect example was his move for Eric Reid last year which cost the San Francisco 49ers just a third round pick. There is no reason to expect him to do anything drastic, but the possibility is still there. After three-straight near misses with the Super Bowl that pressure to do something only continues to rise. Baalke might feel the need to go after a top tier talent to get his team over the hump. Leaping into the top 10 to grab Texas A&M wide receiver Mike Evans would qualify. The 6’5″ giant is exactly what the 49ers need on offense. He can matchup with those bigger defensive backs in Seattle that Michael Crabtree and Anquan Boldin have struggled with and give Colin Kaepernick that red zone target he lacked last season.
Logic naturally suggests the 49ers will move up a reasonable amount of space to grab a wide receiver or a cornerback. However, as the NFL draft has shown so many times, logic doesn’t always prevail.