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San Francisco 49ers win the coin toss for the ninth overall pick

By Sanjesh Singh

LOS ANGELES, CA - DECEMBER 31: General Manager John Lynch of the San Francisco 49ers looks on from the sidelines during the second half of a game against the Los Angeles Rams at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on December 31, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - DECEMBER 31: General Manager John Lynch of the San Francisco 49ers looks on from the sidelines during the second half of a game against the Los Angeles Rams at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on December 31, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) /
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The San Francisco 49ers won a coin toss over the Oakland Raiders to decide who gets the ninth and tenth picks in the 2018 NFL Draft.

The San Francisco 49ers have already secured their first victory of the season — kind of.

Both the San Francisco 49ers and Bay Area rival Oakland Raiders were involved in a coin toss to decide which team would receive the ninth, and which would receive the tenth overall pick in the upcoming 2018 NFL Draft.

Why did they have to flip a coin to determine drafting order in the first place?

The chances of this happening were extremely low, but both teams finished with a record of 6-10 and each team had the same strength of schedule at .512.

The only way to break the tie was to perform a coin toss. The winner would receive the higher pick and the loser would obtain the lower one.

In this case, the ninth and tenth overall picks were at stake. The 49ers won the toss, meaning they will be picking ninth overall, which does help the 49ers big time.

This coin toss also involves another team: the New England Patriots.

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When the blockbuster trade occurred between the 49ers and Patriots that sent Jimmy Garoppolo to the Bay, the 49ers sent back a 2018 second-round pick. But the position of that pick depended on how the 49ers performed the rest of the season.

And as we know, they finished it very well considering that they were 1-10 prior to Garoppolo’s first start. At that time, the pick was looking very good for the Patriots because they would have gotten an early second round pick.

However, since the 49ers went on a five game winning streak to close the season, that pick was pushed further back into the second round.

Now that the 49ers have won the toss, the Patriots will officially receive the forty-third overall pick in the 2018 Draft.

This pick will have significant meaning to it, as it will always be remembered as the player who was traded for Garoppolo.

Who Should the 49ers Pick?

The 49ers do have a number of options with this ninth pick.

Linebacker could be a possibility given everything going on around Reuben Foster‘s situation. Options could include Roquan Smith or Tremaine Edmunds.

There is still plenty of time left to see what happens with Foster’s legal situation but if things continue to go bad, then the 49ers might have to target the position.

Another option could include a defensive back. One name in particular that is swinging around is Minkah Fitzpatrick. Fitzpatrick is one of the best talents available at corner and the 49ers really need help at that position, unless they address it during free agency.

Offensive line is also a strong possibility. The 49ers offensive line did improve with Garoppolo under center, but it remains unclear if they will be consistent next season or not. If the 49ers don’t address this line in free agency, Quenton Nelson could be an option at guard.

Next: 49ers Re-sign Garry Gilliam

Other than the drama surrounding Foster, this offseason is shaping to be a good one for the 49ers. Winning this coin toss can prove to have an immense impact once the season commences.