These top prospects in the 2015 NFL Draft have been connected to the San Francisco 49ers in recent mock drafts.
Jamie Newberg of Scout.com: "They could go in a number of different directions from pass rusher, to linebacker, to cornerback, offensive line or wide receiver. They added wide receiver Torrey Smith via free agency. Here, they add another wide out and the top player on the board in wide receiver Kevin White. There's still a need at this position and it gets bolstered in a big way with the additions of Smith and White."
Mel Kiper of ESPN: "Armstead to San Francisco would be a good balance of hitting an immediate need and the 49ers adding yet another player with high upside they can develop -- it's an area they've succeeded in consistently. The 49ers are staring at a situation where Ray McDonald is gone and Justin Smith is likely to follow -- and even if Smith continues to play it shouldn't be a ton of snaps. They do add Darnell Dockett, but he's 34. Armstead is big, powerful, athletic and raw, and while he won't be great right away because he's inconsistent and hasn't truly locked in a defined role, he's physically ready to help and should be able to provide a spark as a rotation player on the line."
Charley Casserly of NFL.com: "Goldman helps the 49ers rebuild their defensive line."
Brian Baldinger of NFL.com: "The 49ers lost Mike Iupati to Arizona, but can replace him with a plug-and-play."
Rob Rang of CBS Sports: "The 49ers aren't likely to become more aggressive on offense with defensive-minded head coach Jim Tomsula taking the reins. Peters comes with some off-field baggage as he was kicked off the team by Washington in November, but he has since made amends with his former coach and will be allowed to participate in the school's Pro Day on April 2. Physical, athletic and a ball-hawk, Peters is a top-20 talent."
Chris Burke of Sports Illustrated: "There is no better option to fill a starting role out of the gate than Waynes. Yes, that includes Marcus Peters. Waynes played both the boundary and field sides at Michigan State, so San Francisco could trust him anywhere."
Eddie Brown of U-T San Diego: "Torrey Smith is a nice addition... but Strong's ball skills are second to none in this class."
Patrick Willis and Chris Borland retiring has shifted the attention in San Francisco to inside linebacker, but replacing starting cornerback Chris Culliver is also a concern. GM Trent Baalke has been known to gamble on traits before and few athletes check off more boxes than Jones, a four-year starter with experience at corner and safety who is known for his work ethic and demonstrated remarkable athleticism in workouts." -Rob Rang of CBS Sports
"Edging towards the draft certain players tend to drop, and this time it's DT Danny Shelton. Not that the 49ers are complaining. Shelton goes a meaty 6-foot-2, 340 pounds and has the power to control the line of scrimmage, but also shows lateral quickness and balance to make plays on the move. Constantly requiring double teams and is yet still a pass-rush threat, Shelton is purpose-made for the 3-4, and is one of the best nose tackle prospects to come out in the last 5 years." -Draftek.com
"The 49ers lost two starting cornerbacks this offseason, as Chris Culliver and Perrish Cox have moved on to different teams. This has created a massive void at the cornerback position, which will need to be addressed early in the 2015 NFL Draft. Kevin Johnson made a big leap in this mock draft recently. Contacts we have in various front offices have advised us to move Johnson up, so don't be surprised if he goes in the top 20." - Walter Cherpinsky of WalterFootball
Due to the departures of Perrish Cox and Chris Culliver in free agency, four of the 10 experts polled in our latest Mock Draft Tracker predicted that the San Francisco 49ers will take a cornerback with the 15th overall selection in this year's draft.
One of the popular names linked to the team is Michigan State cornerback Trae Waynes.
Ranked by NFL.com as the top prospect at his position, Waynes shined at the NFL Scouting Combine last month in Indianapolis, posting a 38-inch vertical jump and the fastest 40-yard dash time (4.31 seconds) of any defensive back.
Then, at his pro day on March 18, Waynes improved both his shuttle times after he had cramped up in Indianapolis during the drills. The second time around, Waynes posted a 4.19-second 20-yard shuttle and an 11.24-second 60-yard shuttle. The 20-yard time would have ranked seventh at the combine, while the 60-yard time would have been third.
At 6-feet, 186 pounds, Waynes' combination of nifty footwork and speed has experts comparing him to Jets cornerback Antonio Cromartie.
"Waynes exhibits outstanding qualities as a bump-and-run corner," NFL Network analyst and former scout Bucky Brooks wrote in a recent scouting report. "He is aggressive and tenacious at the line of scrimmage, yet he also plays with discipline and patience throughout the route.
"Waynes consistently maintains ideal leverage on receivers up the field, and he uses his superb body positioning to force quarterbacks to fit the ball into tight windows."
Waynes is following in the footsteps of Cincinnati Bengals cornerback Darqueze Dennard, who was taken 24th overall out of Michigan State last year and who Waynes calls his "big brother."
Taking over for Dennard last fall in East Lansing, Waynes recorded 46 tackles, eight pass breakups and three interceptions to earn first-team All-Big Ten honors.
"I pride myself on being a technician," Waynes said at the combine. "I try to work on my footwork as much as I can. I try to mirror the routes to throw off timing, and I work on these things for countless hours during practice."
After selecting Jimmie Ward last April, would the 49ers take a defense back with their top pick for a second consecutive year? That remains to be seen.
As the roster stands now, Tramaine Brock, Shareece Wright, Chris Cook and Dontae Johnson are expected to compete for the two starting cornerback jobs – Ward is the team's nickel corner. The team also drafted two other cornerbacks in the late rounds of 2014 (Keith Reaser and Kenneth Acker), but neither played their rookies years due to injury.
For more on the Michigan State product, enjoy these recent social media posts on Waynes.
