The 49ers may take any position with the 11th choice in the 2017 draft, but their past triumphs and failures may drive them to select a defensive end. Here is why.
John Lynch and Kyle Shanahan could select an offensive lineman, but the only OT they picked in Round 1 was Mike McGlinchey, who was a tremendous disappointment and did not receive a second contract with the 49ers.
Lynch and Shanahan could potentially choose a defensive lineman, but their first-round picks, Solomon Thomas and Javon Kinlaw, are two of the worst in team history.
Lynch and Shanahan may possibly select a defensive back, although they have never picked a DB in Round 1. The earliest they drafted one came at the conclusion of Round 2 last year, when they selected Renardo Green.
That’s why the 49ers are likely to choose a defensive end with the 11th pick. Nick Bosa is the one defensive end they chose in the first round, and he has been a huge success. Meanwhile, all of the defensive ends Lynch and Shanahan picked after Round 1 were flops. Think Drake Jackson and Robert Beal Jr.
The 49ers are desperate for a starting three-down defensive end after dismissing Leonard Floyd and failing to sign Joey Bosa. Expect them to take a close look at Shemar Stewart from Texas A&M, Mykel Williams from Georgia, and Jalon Walker from Georgia.
