San Francisco 49ers: A few solid options with ninth-overall pick

The San Francisco 49ers have some definite areas of need to fill on the roster, and will be looking to address them with the ninth-overall pick.

San Francisco 49ers GM John Lynch and HC Kyle Shanahan are sitting very pretty right about now. With an ascending, young, franchise quarterback and some very nice, versatile pieces – young and veteran – around him, the 49ers are in good shape already.

And, they head into this year’s NFL Draft holding the ninth-overall pick.

Yes, things are certainly looking up for a franchise that’s been among the worst teams in the league for a few years now. Ever since the “mutual parting” with Jim Harbaugh, the 49ers have been looking to find their footing again. But now, with a stable front office in place, and some terrific players on the field – as well as a very solid coaching staff – San Francisco looks like a team on the rise.

That’s not to say though, that this roster doesn’t have some holes that need to be filled. It most certainly does. Though they have some solid players at key positions, they need impact players at other key positions as well.

Lynch and Shanahan are doing a good job of pulling the team off the scrap heap and building it back up But they need to add more talented bodies to flesh and round out the roster.

Given the run on quarterbacks expected in the picks that precede them – and then factor in guys like Saquon Barkley and Minkah Fitzpatrick – who will also likely go before they pick at nine, when the 49ers are on the clock, they are going to have a pile of elite players to choose from.

The question is, given their roster needs, which elite prospect will they ultimately decide on?

At the moment, it remains a mystery, but here are a few very solid options the 49ers could take with that ninth pick, in no particular order…