Week 12 - Even before their meeting against the (3-7) Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the San Francisco 49ers found themselves in a bit of a quandary as news broke just hours before kickoff that linebacker Reuben Foster had been arrested by Tampa police on domestic violence charges at the team's hotel. Following his third run in with the law in less than a year, the team decided to cut ties with their first round pick from a season ago after giving the troubled 24-year old one last chance to keep his nose clean as he failed to follow those guidelines. But despite the gaping hole the Niners now face at the linebacker position which has been without Brock Coyle since the early part of the season due to head and back injuries, Kyle Shanahan's 49ers team still had a game to play on Sunday.
Coming off the Week 11 BYE, the 49ers would take on a Buccaneers offense that ranks tops in the league despite a QB carousel that would land former first overall pick Jameis Winston back at the helm for Tampa Bay. But as good as the Bucs' offense has been this season, their defense came into the game having allowed a league-worst 33-points per game on average, something Nick Mullens and the 49ers offense would hope to exploit. With both teams exchanging punts to open the game, Winston and the Bucs would be first to strike as a 42-yard gain on a deep pass to receiver Mike Evans would set things up for a 6-yard touchdown pass to Cameron Brate. The 49ers would come close to tying things up in the second quarter as Mullens connected with rookie receiver Dante Pettis who scored his first touchdown since Week 1 and second overall, but Robbie Gould would miss the point-after, making it a 7-6 Tampa lead. It would be a busy day for Pettis who's been plagued with injuries this season and entered the game with only seven receptions on the year, as he compiled more than half that in this game alone. A pair of Cairo Santo field goals before the half would allow the Bucs to take a 13-6 lead through the first two quarters.
Looking to answer on their opening possession of the second half, the 49er offense would march all the way to the 1-yard line, but were stopped on both 2nd and 3rd downs before a false start penalty on 4th down stalled any chance to go for it at the goal-line as the offense was forced to settle for a field goal. San Francisco's inability to capitalize in the red zone would sting the team even more considering Winston would lead the Bucs offense on back-to-back touchdown-scoring drives heading into the fourth quarter. In need of a few quick scores to answer, Mullens was picked off on each of San Francisco's final two drives, ending any chance of pulling off the miracle comeback. For Tampa Bay, their performance on defense would be their best of the season as the pair of interceptions were only their second and third of the season which also ended a streak of seven consecutive games without allowing a single takeaway. The Bucs D which held Kyle Shanahan's offense to their fewest point total in a game this season, also did a good job at disrupting the quarterback as they kept Mullens in check by forcing a total of four sacks and prevented the 49ers quarterback from getting into any type of rhythm in the passing game. The constant pressure was something Mullens saw very little of through his first two starts considering his offensive-line didn't allow a single sack in those first two games.
The only positive takeaway on the day for the 49ers, would be that of running back Matt Breida who rushed 14 times for 106-yards in the loss, his second consecutive game with over 100 yards rushing and the team's 9th game with over 100+ yards on the ground, the most in the NFL. As for Breida's counterpart, Bucs running back Peyton Barber who was coming off a career-high 106 yards rushing in Week 11, was held to only 47 yards on 18 carries. As good as San Francisco's defense was against Barber, they were unable to say the same for quarterback Jamis Winston as the former No. 1 overall pick threw for 312 yards and a pair of touchdowns, including 116 yards to Mike Evans who eclipsed 1,000 yards receiving on the season and was a constant problem against a banged up Niners secondary. Nick Mullens had easily his worst start of his career as he finished with 221 yards passing, 1 touchdown and 2 picks while completing only 18-of-32 pass attempts. With the loss, the 49ers fell to 2-9 on the year and stand alongside the division rival Cardinals as the only 2-win teams in the NFC. Of course Arizona's only two wins on the season came at the hands of San Francisco.
Week 13 Preview - The 49ers' schedule won't get any easier in their next match-up as they take a trip up north to renew rivalries with the (6-5) Seahawks in Seattle where the Niners haven't won since 2011. Coming off a pair of 3-point wins against the Packers and Panthers, Seattle will look to continue their hopes of making the playoffs as they currently stand in the hunt for an NFC Wild Card spot. Going three straight games without throwing a single interception, the always dangerous Russell Wilson will try to maintain their recent dominance over the 49ers against an old friend as former Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman will look to exact revenge as he prepares to oppose his former team for the first time since being released in the offseason. With two of their five losses suffered at home this year where Pete Carroll's Seahawks have been virtually untouchable in years passed, the Niners will need a near perfect game from their offense if they plan to end their streak of six straight losses in Seattle's Century Link Field.
Follow me on Twitter: @FraserKnowsBest
Week 2 - Making the playoffs after falling to 0-2 to start a season in the NFL is no easy task. In fact, of the 92 teams that have opened a season 0-2 all-time, only 10 have went on to make the postseason which translates to a 12% success rate. And with both the San Francisco 49ers and Detroit Lions falling in Week 1, both teams would much rather escape Week 2 with a victory and not have to test that statistic. After shooting themselves in the foot on multiple occasions and blowing several opportunities that resulted in a Week 1 loss against the Minnesota Vikings, the 49ers knew they'd have to tidy things up and play a much cleaner game if they wanted to get into the win column in Week 2, despite facing an opponent not nearly on the level of Minnesota. And hosting an 0-1 Lions team still searching for its identity under first-year head coach Matt Patricia whom 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo knows quite well dating back to the time they shared in New England where Patricia served as defensive coordinator, the 49ers would do just that. It wouldn't be easy, however, as the game quickly turned from being a blowout to a nail-biter that came down to the final drive.
Coming off a 48-17 shellacking on Monday Night against the visiting New York Jets which saw Pro Bowl quarterback Matthew Stafford throw four interceptions, the Lions appeared to be destined for a similar fate in Week 2 when they found themselves down by 17-points with under eleven and a half minutes remaining in the 4th quarter. But those interceptions which doomed Detroit in Week 1, never showed their face on Sunday as this time around it was Stafford's play-making ability that kept the Lions in the game, nearly pulling off the comeback. For San Francisco, their ground attack was on point virtually all afternoon long and wasted no time to get going as 49ers running back Matt Breida began what would ultimately be a career day for the second-year back with a 28-yard run on the offense's first play from scrimmage. But like they did so often in the season-opening loss, the Niners would once again sputter after marching into the red zone thanks to back-to-back sacks. Instead of opening the game with a touchdown, San Francisco would settle for a field goal. After taking an early lead, the 49ers would watch Detroit answer with a touchdown as a mental error in coverage by cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon allowed Lions receiver Kenny Golladay to catch a wide-open pass and take it to the 5-yard line before spinning his way into the end zone for the go-ahead score. Unfortunately for Detroit, it would be the only time the 49ers would trail as they would answer right back to recapture a lead they would never relinquish.
Orchestrating a 13-play drive that continued into the 2nd quarter, Garoppolo would not be denied on San Francisco's second trip inside the red zone, capping things off with a short 4-yard pass to a wide-open Kendrick Bourne who hauled in his first career touchdown reception, making it a 10-7 ballgame. With both QB's logging a much cleaner game in the turnover department on Sunday than in their season-opener's when they combined for seven total interceptions, Stafford's only blemish against the Niners would come in the second quarter when he was sacked and stripped of the ball by linebacker Elijah Lee who filling in for the injured Brock Coyle (concussion), would make his presence felt. But again, the Niners would only get a field goal out of it as Robbie Gould converted on his 28th consecutive made field goal, setting a new franchise record which he would later add to. Getting the ball back with less than a minute remaining before the half, Detroit would look to put any points they could onto the board as Matt Prater inched the Lions closer to make it a 13-10 San Francisco lead at halftime.
Opening the second half with some fireworks, rookie return man D.J. Reed would take the opening kickoff of the second half some 101-yards to the house before being called for a face masking penalty. Despite the call, the 49ers would setup shop within striking distance at the 26-yard line in enemy territory. Four plays later, Garoppolo would connect for his second touchdown pass of the day, throwing a dart to tight-end Garrett Celek for the 11-yard score. A few drives later, the 49ers would unleash Matt Breida who carried the ball 11 times on Sunday, but none bigger than the career-long 67-yard rushing touchdown that would also set a career-high in rushing yards as he tallied 138 to go along with 21 yards receiving. What won't show up on the box score is the superb blocking by Niners receiver Pierre Garcon that allowed Breida to reach the end zone on the big gain. He would also collect a team-high 4 receptions for 57-yards receiving. Robbie Gould's third and final made field goal on the day would make it a 30-13 lead that appeared to be out reach for Detroit given how the first three quarters went. But not so fast as the 17-point deficit instead appeared to be the fuel Matthew Stafford and company would need in order to get going.
Entering the 2018 season as the only quarterback in NFL history to record seven consecutive seasons of 4,000+ passing yards before reaching the age of 30, Stafford looked the part in the fourth quarter like he's done so often throughout his career. And with 30 career game-winning drives in the fourth quarter or overtime under his belt, the former No. 1 overall pick in 2009 would try to make it 31 as the Niners were forced to fend off a late surge by the Lions QB. And a 67-yard reception to receiver Golden Tate would be the first big play to help ignite Detroit's attempt at a comeback as Stafford threw a touchdown pass just two plays later. For a moment it appeared Stafford would get some much needed help from the Lions special-teams. After forcing a three and out on San Francisco's ensuing possession, Lions punt-returner Jamal Agnew returned a punt 73-yards for a touchdown before receiving the bad news of an illegal block in the back penalty that nullified the big play. Stafford would once again have to do things the hard way as he marched his team down the field before tossing a touchdown pass to tight-end Michael Roberts inside the end zone. What was once a 17-point deficit at the start of the 4th quarter was now 3-point game with less than 3:30 remaining in regulation.
As if things couldn't get anymore dramatic, the Niners who were in need of a big drive to either score or chew up as much time as possible, caught a huge break when what appeared to be a pick-six thrown by Garoppolo, was called back on a defensive-holding call away from the ball. Levi's Stadium would collectively share a sigh of relief, but still weren't off the hook as the 49ers offense was able to erase two minutes and some change from the clock before a sack on Garoppolo forced San Francisco to punt, giving Detroit one final chance. Pinned back at their own 16-yard line and out of timeouts, Stafford and co. would have 1 minute and 8 seconds to either tie and send things into overtime or win the ballgame. And while the Lions would make it interesting, San Francisco's defense would bend but not break as back-to-back incompletions on 3rd and 4th down spelled doom for Detroit as they turned the ball over on downs, sealing the Niners' 30-27 victory. Garoppolo logged a clean 206 yards passing and 2 touchdowns on 18 for 26 pass attempts, meanwhile, Stafford completed 34 of 53 attempts for 347 yards and 3 touchdowns in the loss.
Head coach Kyle Shanahan congratulated his team on the win in the locker room after the game and admitted that wins in NFL are hard to come by, but shouldn't be nearly as hard as his team made it seem on Sunday, hinting that they got too comfortable and took their foot off the pedal. Veteran cornerback Richard Sherman took some of that blame and pinned it on the players on defense for nearly allowing Detroit to complete the comeback while also praising the great game called by defensive coordinator Robert Saleh. Playing with a banged up Mike Person at guard and without Joshua Garnett (foot) at the same position, the 49ers offensive-line allowed Detroit to get to San Francisco's expensive quarterback for a total of six sacks on Sunday, despite the Lions being without their best pass rusher in Ziggy Ansah who was inactive with a shoulder injury. Protecting the quarterback will most certainly be a point of emphasis in Week 3 if the 49ers hope to stand any chance in going toe to toe with their next opponent who looks as good as anybody thru the first two weeks of the season.
Week 3 Preview - The 49ers will hit the road in Week 3 and will look to build upon their first win of the season as they head to Arrowhead to take on the 2-0 Kansas City Chiefs. Among the biggest surprises in the early going of the 2018 NFL season is the red-hot start by Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes who in his first-year at the helm, has dazzled at the QB position having tossing an NFL-record 10 touchdown passes through the first two games to start a season. And with such targets as Travis Kelce, Tyreke Hill and Sammy Watkins among others to choose from, there's no telling if and when Mahomes will show any signs of slowing. If an MVP Award was given to a player in the first two weeks of the season, it's likely Mahomes would be the recipient of that award. But the Niner defense won't shy away from the challenge as they look to crash the party and hand K.C. their first loss of the season in their home-opener. One player who will be added to that defense and will be making his season-debut is second-year linebacker Reuben Foster who will see his first action of the season after serving a two-game suspension which was handed down after a troublesome off-season that many thought was likely the end of his career in a Niner uniform. The 49er offense will also hope to welcome back one of their own as receiver Marquise Goodwin is currently ruled as questionable as he missed half of Week 1 and all of Week 2 with an injured quad. If he's able to play, Garoppolo will look to utilize his speed like K.C. does with the many deep threats they posses.
Follow me on Twitter: @FraserKnowsBest
Week 10 - For the first time in 2017, the San Francisco 49ers are in the win column. Though it would take them much longer than they had hoped, the Niners were able to claim their first victory of the season and first win under the John Lynch-Kyle Shanahan regime against a struggling (1-7) New York Giants team. In an emotional game that featured two teams with the fewest amount of wins this late in a season since 1984, the 49ers would ride a season-high in rushing yards (186) on their way to a 31-21 victory. Despite liking their chances of getting win No. 1 of the season entering Sunday's game, San Francisco would still be 3-point underdogs against a team that had been embarrassed at home by a score of 51-17 one week earlier.
With both teams scoring field goals on their opening possessions, the game would quickly jump out to a 3-3 score as the 49ers benefited from a penalty on New York's special-teams which gave San Francisco the ball at their 40-yard line after the opening kickoff failed to reach the end zone and rolled out of bounds. A 28-yard rush by running back Carlos Hyde on the first play from scrimmage and an extra 15-yards tacked on thanks to an unnecessary roughness penalty called on New York would set the table for kicker Robbie Gould before being answered by Giants rookie kicker Aldrick Rosas. San Francisco's second possession appeared to be heading in the same direction before being halted on a failed 4th and 1 attempt at New York's 36-yard line. After another Giants field goal, both teams would exchange fumbles as another promising 49er drive went up in flames as fullback Kyle Juszczyk fumbled the ball away for the second consecutive week. But the San Francisco defense would respond just three plays later with a forced fumble of their own as second-year defensive-end Ronald Blair's first of two sacks on Giants QB Eli Manning jarred the ball loose, forcing the turnover.
The biggest story of the day for the 49ers, however, would be that of receiver Marquise Goodwin who had received the unfortunate news that he and his wife had lost their unborn child due to pregnancy complications just hours before kickoff. Courageous enough to still hit the field and play on Sunday, albeit with a heavy heart, Goodwin would show up in a big way for his team as he hauled in his first touchdown reception as a 49er on an 83-yard bomb from rookie QB C.J. Beathard. Though it would be his only reception of the game, it would mark the longest pass reception by a 49er since 2005 as Goodwin used his speed coupled with a stiff-arm to break free of the defender as he struck pay dirt before being overcome with emotion as he dropped to his knees and blew a kiss to the sky. Making his 208th consecutive start, Eli Manning would be quick to respond to his 49er counterpart as he connected in the end zone with tight-end Evan Engram. Entering Sunday, San Francisco had led in games for a league-low 29 minutes and 37 seconds before leading in much of this one as Beathard would help the 49ers jump back ahead on their ensuing possession with a lead that they wouldn't relinquish for the remainder of the afternoon as he found tight-end Garrett Celek for a 47-yard touchdown to give SF a 17-13 lead heading into the half. It would also mark the first time the 49ers would lead heading into halftime this year.
New York would open the second half by marching into field goal range before things went sour after Rosas missed a field goal from 34-yards out. But another 49er turnover would once again put an end to an otherwise nice possession as Beathard was picked off by Olivier Vernon who disrupted a screen pass intended for Matt Breida before tipping it to himself for the interception. It would be the only blemish on the day for Beathard who finally received some protection from his offensive-line as the rookie QB was sack-free all afternoon long, this after taking an absolute beating against the Cardinals a week ago. And on the first play of the fourth quarter, Beathard would rebound from his earlier mishap with an 11-yard touchdown run to make it a 24-13 ballgame for San Francisco's first double-digit lead of the season. That lead would increase one possession later as Breida logged the first rushing touchdown of his career with a 33-yard score to give the Niners a 31-13 advantage. With scoring being a non-factor for the offense on Sunday, San Francisco's punting unit wouldn't be called upon until the 5:46 mark in the 4th quarter.
With the game all but decided, the Giants would get a garbage time touchdown from Manning to receiver Roger Lewis as well as a successful 2-point conversion with just over a minute remaining. But New York's onside-kick attempt would be recovered by the Niners who were able to get into victory formation and milk the clock for the 31-21 win. The victory at home would be San Francisco's first win at Levi's Stadium since their Week 1 shellacking of the Rams over a year ago on Monday Night Football and one that would result in a Gatorade bath inside the 49ers locker room for head coach Kyle Shanahan who was congratulated by his players. Game balls would be given out following the celebration as GM John Lynch personally handed a ball to Goodwin for his courageous efforts and heroics in spite of the family tragedy.
After a career-high in pass attempts (51) in his last outing, quarterback C.J. Beathard (19 for 25) would out-duel Eli Manning (28 for 37) 288 to 273 in the yards department as both QB's threw for a pair of touchdowns and finished with one turnover each. Giants receiver Sterling Shepard would finish with a game-high 142 yards receiving and 11 receptions and Carlos Hyde would lead all backs on the ground, falling two yards shy of the century mark with 98 yards rushing on 17 carries. On the defensive side, 49ers rookie linebacker Reuben Foster tallied double-digit tackles for the second consecutive week with 10 (6 solo, 4 assisted) to lead all tacklers. As for the Giants who dropped to 1-8 on the season for the first time since 1980, New York has now gone 13 games without scoring at least 24-points, the longest active streak in the NFL. The loss also adds some warmth to head coach Ben McAdoo's hot seat as his status to return next season remains up in the air following the Giants' dreadful 1-8 start.
Week 12 Preview - With the 49ers heading into the BYE on a winning note, Kyle Shanahan will look to get his guys mentally and physically ready for their next opponent as the Niners play host to division rival Seattle in Week 12. Since San Francisco's 3-point loss to Seattle in Week 2, the (6-3) Seahawks are looking much better than the team that barely escaped Century Link Field with a win in the first meeting between these two bitter rivals. But after suffering a loss at home just two weeks ago to the Washington Redskins, the Seahawks are still very beatable if the Niners can stick around at home much like they did in their first meeting while applying pressure to QB Russell Wilson. Carlos Hyde will look to add another busy day against the Seahawks defense as his 124-yard performance on the ground in Week 2 remains the only 100-yard performance for the 49er running back this season. Hosting the reigning NFC Champion Atlanta Falcons this week, Seattle currently trails the (7-2) L.A. Rams by a game in the NFC Western Division standings.
Follow me on Twitter: @FraserKnowsBest
Week 1 - With NFL Sunday officially underway in 2017, the new-look San Francisco 49ers were one of many teams excited to kick start a new regime. Though the John Lynch and Kyle Shanahan era began in the off-season, the two finally got to see their work in progress hit the field in a meaningful game for a first time. And while many are expecting this season to be nothing but a rebuild or trial run, the team might be even further from contending than initially expected after their mistake-filled performance on Sunday. Making his head coaching debut, Kyle Shanahan would be greeted by a familiar foe in the Carolina Panthers. And while his offenses boast a 3-1 record and have scored an average of 33.7 points per game against the Panthers entering this one, Sunday's opener would be a much different story.
For the 49ers who entered 2017 having won each of their last six season-openers including the last two by a combined score of 48-3, San Francisco saw the roles reversed in Week 1. With both teams struggling to get anything going offensively on their first two drives, the 49ers had a golden opportunity slip through the hands of speedy receiver Marquise Goodwin as a deep third down pass by quarterback Brian Hoyer was dropped by the former Olympian, forcing them to punt. The big time completion would've given the Niners a touchdown or at the very least put them inside the 10-yard line and in position to take an early lead. Hoping for a much better second possession, the 49ers saw their second drive near midfield go up in flames after Hoyer was sacked from behind, causing a fumble which was recovered by the defense. It would be the first of four sacks allowed by San Francisco's offensive-line and by far the most costly as it put the Carolina offense within striking distance.
Adding insult to injury, first-round draft pick and 2016 Butkus Award winner Reuben Foster would have to be carted off the field less than 12 minutes into his NFL debut after having his right leg tweaked beneath him as he was blocked from the side by the 320 lb. Matt Kalil. His absence would be felt immediately as the Panthers scored on the very next play as Cam Newton found a wide-open Russell Shepard down the sideline who scored on a 40-yard touchdown after shaking off a poor tackle attempt by free-safety Jaquiski Tartt. Though Foster would later return from the locker room under his own power, he would be ruled out for the game and forced to watch from the sideline. Following the trio of Goodwin's drop, Foster's injury and Shepard's touchdown, it was almost as if someone had let all the air out of Levi's Stadium as the team struggled to get anything going for the rest of the half. The lone highlight of the half would come in the second quarter on an acrobatic interception by Tartt. With Newton looking to connect with Kelvin Benjamin on the home run pass, Tartt leaped into the air and cradled the ball with one hand, making a highlight worthy catch that even Odell Beckham Jr. would appreciate. Electing to go for it on 4th and 1 near midfield with under a minute remaining, San Francisco's failed attempt would be a gift for the Panthers as they were able to march into field goal range and increase their lead.
Staring down a 13-0 deficit to open the second half, any hopes of a hot start for the 49er offense would be erased rather quickly as they were snake bitten by another turnover just two plays in. Hoyer who entered the game with 200 pass attempts without an interception, saw that streak come to an end on the second play of the third quarter as a pass intended for rookie tight-end George Kittle was intercepted by Pro-Bowl linebacker Luke Kuechly. The pick would set up Newton's second touchdown pass of the day, giving Carolina a commanding lead. They would add a Graham Gano field goal on their following possession to make it 23-0 before San Francisco was finally able to get on the board with a field goal of their own, a 44-yarder to give Robbie Gould his first in a 49er uniform. The San Francisco defense would do their part once again by forcing a turnover to open the fourth quarter as second-year corner back Rashard Robinson forced and recovered a fumble on rookie running back Christian McCaffrey who was stripped of the ball. Needing 11 plays to move the ball 30-yards, the 49ers would find themselves on the doorstep of the end zone before being stuffed on the 1-yard line as Carlos Hyde was unable to break the plain.
It would be just one of many squandered opportunities by San Francisco who watched the Panthers milk the last 8:48 on the clock on their way to a 23-3 victory as Cam Newton bounced back from career-low numbers and off-season shoulder surgery. Though he didn't look like his normal self, missing a number of wide-open targets, he kept his team in the game by avoiding costly mistakes against a pass defense that looked decent and held Newton to 171 yards thru the air despite failing to log a single sack against him. McCaffrey who played his collegiate ball just a stones throw away at Stanford, totaled 47 yards on the ground and 38 thru the air, providing a headache for the Niner defense virtually all day long as the Panthers won their sixth consecutive regular season meeting against SF. As for the San Francisco offense, Hoyer who made his fourth consecutive opening-day start for a different team, a feat only surpassed by Jeff Garcia who has five, threw for 193 yards and was held touchdown-less while being sacked four times. Running back Carlos Hyde who provided much of the offense in the first half finished the game with 45 rushing yards and another 32 yards on a game-high 6 receptions. With 44 of Hyde's 45 rushing yards coming in the first quarter, the offense was forced to abandon the run after falling behind by multiple scores to open the second half.
Sweet 16: With only 16 players remaining from last year's 53-man opening-day roster, the 49ers tied a mark for the fewest returning players since 1992 (2012 Rams). Also, the 23-points surrendered by the 49er defense marks the 16th consecutive game in which they've allowed 20-points or more, the second longest streak in franchise history since allowing 17 straight in 1963-64.
Week 2 Preview: With four of their next five games away from Levi's Stadium, the San Francisco 49ers (0-1) will hit the road for the first time in 2017 as they head north to take on the division rival Seattle Seahawks (0-1) who are coming off a loss of their own, a 17-9 defeat to the Packers at Lambeau where Seattle QB Russell Wilson threw for only 158 yards on Sunday. Seeking their first win at Seattle's CenturyLink Field since 2011 and their first win overall against the Seahawks since 2013, both teams will look to avoid falling to 0-2 on the season. The Niners will have to do it without rookie Reuben Foster who's expected to be out at least a month with a high-ankle sprain.
Follow me on Twitter: @FraserKnowsBest
Round 1 - Under a new regime, the San Francisco 49ers made quite the impression in Round 1 of the 2017 NFL Draft. And in their first draft together at the helm of the 49ers, head coach Kyle Shanahan and GM John Lynch had an unforgettable first day of the draft which included the Niners selecting two solid players on defense as well as stockpiling a few more picks along the way. With Myles Garrett going 1st overall to the Cleveland Browns as we all expected, there San Francisco was at pick No. 2 where they were ready to select Stanford defensive end Solomon Thomas if unable to trade back. And then came calling the Chicago Bears who would treat us to our first "wow moment" of the Draft by working out a trade that allowed them to select UNC quarterback Mitch Trubisky. One pick later, the 49ers would find their man in Thomas.
The move would prove to be a sign of despair for Chicago as Trubisky might have been on San Francisco's radar, but not at pick No. 2 which means the Bears were either smoke-screened into thinking Trubisky would be taken by San Francisco or that someone else might swoop in via trade to select him. Either way, the move would help Lynch and company make out like bandits as they received the No. 3 pick as well as Chicago's 3rd (67th overall) and 4th round picks (111th overall) this year and a 3rd rounder next year in exchange, all while selecting Thomas who they intended to take all along. But Lynch's brilliance and busy night wouldn't end there as he was able to flip one of the picks received from the Bears to move back into the first round. With rival Seattle on the clock at pick No. 31, San Francisco sent their 2nd round pick (34th overall) and the 4th rounder received from Chicago to the Seahawks, which the Niners would then use to select Alabama linebacker Reuben Foster.
Prior to the draft, the Niners had Garrett ranked as the no. 1 player in the draft, Thomas ranked no. 2 and Foster no. 3, meaning they managed to land two of their top three ranked players in the entire draft. This order was confirmed by Lynch during the 49ers' press conference following Round 1 of the draft, so to land Foster at pick 31 is a complete steal in the eyes of Lynch & Shanahan. After drafting a defensive lineman with their top pick in each of the past two seasons despite being under two different head coaches and a different GM, Lynch who also went to school at Stanford, made it a third straight year with the selection of Thomas. Oddly enough, their alma isn't the only thing the two have shared as they even had two classes together a few years ago when Lynch returned to Palo Alto to finish his degree. The two would grow quite the relationship over the years with Thomas even asking Lynch for advice before the biggest game of his career in December's Sun Bowl, not knowing he would later be drafted by his fellow classmate to work alongside him within the same organization. Another positive for Thomas would be the 22 mile trip from Stanford's campus to his new digs in Santa Clara as he's just a stones throw away from Levi's Stadium which will make the adjustment to the NFL life that much easier.
After soaring up the rankings on draft boards thanks to his dominant Sun Bowl performance which led to game MVP honors against Trubisky's North Carolina Tarheels no less and a glaring need on the defensive front for the Niners, it was an obvious decision for San Francisco to take Thomas despite the many different directions they could've gone. Thomas who has been looked upon as virtually being another Myles Garrett, can help stop the run as well as pressure the quarterback. Both are areas the 49ers struggled at a season ago when they allowed the most yards in franchise history and ranked last in the league in yards allowed and rushing yards allowed just a season ago, while also ranking near the bottom of the list in generating pressure on the quarterback.
As for Reuben Foster who I'm personally delighted to see in a Niners uniform, it was rather shocking to see him fall so deep into the first round the way he did. While there's been character concerns regarding Foster heading into the draft spanning from a diluted urine sample and an argument with a hospital worker which led to him being sent home at the scouting combine, there's no denying his passion for the game and the talent he possesses. It wasn't long ago that most draft experts had Foster projected to go in the top-five, but a shoulder injury that Foster claims to be "90% healed" could've also been just as much to blame for his draft stock taking a plunge. Niners fans can't help but be excited to now have Foster on the team especially after what San Francisco went through last season following the injury to NaVorro Bowman which made it very clear just how valuable the linebacker position is and how thin they were at said position. The same could be said about the defense in general as it's no secret how many lingering holes this team had on the defensive side which already looks much improved after only one day of the draft. With Rounds 2 through 7 still yet to come and the Niners owning picks in every round but the 2nd and a total of 11 picks, more selections on defense will be added with the addition of Thomas and Foster who already figure to help bolster a defense that couldn't stop a nosebleed a season ago.
Stay tuned for more coverage as the Draft continues.
Follow me on Twitter: @FraserKnowsBest
