How 1st round will go, before it happens
The first round of the NFL draft featured a few surprises Thursday night: Only two quarterbacks were among the 32 selections, Stanford running back Christian McCaffrey crashed the top 10, and the 49ers set the tone by making a running back one of the first two picks for the first time since 2006 …
OK, so obviously that hasn’t happened. The draft is in the future, but the faux story lines above emerged from a mock draft conducted by The Chronicle’s Eric Branch and Vic Tafur.
It will be interesting to see whether fantasy comes close to mirroring reality. If so, the Browns and McCaffrey will be thrilled, and two bypassed quarterbacks — Texas Tech’s Patrick Mahomes and Notre Dame’s DeShone Kizer — will be disappointed.
Of course, few mock drafts are framed by their authors after the first round is finished.
To make sure all of the “You’re a bozo” emails get to the right person, here’s how this was done: Tafur made the odd-numbered picks and the Raiders’ selection at No. 24; Branch did the even-numbered picks, beginning with the 49ers’ selection at No. 2, and the Giants’ selection at No. 23.
Without further delay ... 1. Browns: DE Myles Garrett, Texas A&M
Elite athlete and playmaker for a team in desperate need of one. 2. 49ers: RB Leonard Fournette, LSU
The 49ers get a potential generational talent — very few bulldozers with Ferrari engines ever come off assembly lines — and their wretched (and oh-soboring) offense suddenly has an area that could dominate. Fournette and Carlos Hyde will run behind fullback Kyle Juszczyk and an offensive line that general manager John Lynch has identified as one of the team’s few bright spots. About the passing game: Fournette will take plenty of pressure off the yet-to-be-determined QB of the future. Finally, Fournette could help keep the defense off the field — welcome news after a season with Chip Kelly. 3. Bears: DE Solomon Thomas, Stanford
Who doesn’t love a big guy with some motor? Was team captain, too. 4. Jaguars: DT Jonathan Allen, Alabama
On the bright side, Jonathan: You are guaranteed to be a free agent by 2022. 5. Titans: WR Mike Williams, Clemson
When scouts watch him and close their eyes, they see Dez Bryant. QB Marcus Mariota needs help. 6. Jets: TE O.J. Howard, Alabama
He exults and shakes Roger Goodell’s hand ... before his smile slowly fades: “Who the heck will throw me the ball?” 7. Chargers: S Malik Hooker, Ohio State
L.A. doesn’t need a corner and can’t pass up playmaking safety coming off shoulder and hernia surgeries. 8. Panthers: RB Christian McCaffrey, Stanford
With Fournette gone, Carolina grabs a triple-threat to pair with its dual-threat QB. 9. Bengals: CB Marshon Lattimore, Ohio State
The surprising slide ends for draft’s top cornerback with mad ball skills. 10. Bills: S Jamal Adams, LSU
Good things don’t happen to the Bills ( 17 straight playoffless seasons), but the potential No. 2 pick dropping to them qualifies. 11. Saints: LB Haason Reddick, Temple
Former cornerback who was an undersized defensive end; stock rose at Senior Bowl because of closing speed. 12. Browns: QB Mitch Trubisky, North Carolina
Cleveland gets its man without surrendering any of its 237 draft picks. 13. Cardinals: LB Reuben Foster, Alabama
Off-field incidents don’t hurt him too much; he plays with an edge and roams the field with bad intentions. Teams like that. 14. Eagles: CB Marlon Humphrey, Alabama
The last defensive player Philadelphia took with a firstround pick: Marcus Smith. Nowhere to go but up, Marlon. 15. Colts: OLB Takkarist McKinley, UCLA
A little stiff and needs a lot of polish, but Kennedy-Richmond and Contra Costa College alum has a great first step, and sometimes that’s all you need in the draft. 16. Ravens: WR Corey Davis, Western Michigan
The franchise that has cornered the market on still-productive, senior-citizen wideouts — Derrick Mason, Anquan Boldin and just-retired Steve Smith — hopes a kid can assume No. 1 duties. 17. Washington: RB Dalvin Cook, Florida State
Has vision, patience and acceleration to excel in Jay Gruden’s outside-zone running game. 18. Titans: CB Tre’Davious White, LSU
On-the-rise Tennessee adds an elite defensive prospect after grabbing the draft’s best WR at No. 5. 19. Bucs: DE Derek Barnett, Tennessee
Broke Reggie White’s school sack record. 20. Broncos: OT Cam Robinson, Alabama
Another Alabama player off the board. How did all these guys lose to Clemson? 21. Lions: TE Evan Engram, Mississippi
He’s more of a big slot receiver than TE, but Engram is smooth and fast and a nice target for Matthew Stafford. 22. Dolphins: G/T Forrest Lamp, Western Kentucky
Not a huge need, but Miami can’t resist snagging Lamp to brighten (sorry) its outlook. Considered by many the best prospect in a weak offensiveline class. 23. Giants: OT Garett Bolles, Utah
A run on offensive linemen. A nation yawns; Eli Manning, Ryan Tannehill and Paxton Lynch/Trevor Siemian rejoice. 24. Raiders: LB Jarrad Davis, Florida
This seems too easy; Davis would be a starter from Day 1, manning the middle and making plays sideline to sideline. His season was cut short by an ankle injury, but he ran a 4.56 40 at his pro day. Davis is also a leader, which might help general manager Reggie McKenzie go against his history and pick an inside ’backer in an early round. 25. Texans: QB Deshaun Watson, Clemson
Word is, the owner really wants this QB as team fell in love with his championshipgame video, character and leadership skills. 26. Seahawks: CB Kevin King, Washington
Can we please have an ESPN camera in Richard Sherman’s house when Goodell announces this pick? 27. Chiefs: DT Malik McDowell, Michigan State
Kansas City knows defensive linemen, and it picks one with big upside who took off games in college. 28. Cowboys: DE Taco Charlton, Michigan
His birth name is Vidauntae, which, curiously, translates to enchilada in Latin. 29. Packers: CB Adoree’ Jackson, USC
If he was a little bigger, he would go higher — and he has great cover skills. 30. Steelers: TE David Njoku, Miami
Some symmetry. Pittsburgh gets a replacement for Heath Miller, who was taken with the No. 30 pick in 2005. 31. Falcons: S Jabrill Peppers, Michigan
Can you play him at slot corner or is he a receiver/running back/safety/kick returner? Have fun. 32: Saints: WR John Ross, Washington
Ready, set ... let the Brandin Cooks comparisons begin!